by E. C. Land
Fuse’s Hold
Inferno’s Clutch MC Book 7
E.C. Land
Contents
Acknowledgments
ICMC Louisiana
ICMC Arizona
ICMC Montana
ICMC
Family Connections
Trigger Warning
Playlist
HOLD ON
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Epilogue
Author’s Note
Available Now By E.C. Land
Coming Soon By E.C. Land
Blood and Torment
Nora’s Outrage
Malice’s Soul
Tyres’ Wraith
Viking
Keeping Reaper
Social Media
Fuse’s Hold
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are all products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblances to persons, organizations, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Fuse’s Hold. Copyright © 2021 by E.C. Land. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in articles or reviews. For information, contact E.C. Land.
With there being characters mentioned from Rae B. Lake’s series, Wings of Diablo MC, I have her permission to use these characters.
Cover Design by Charli Childs, Cosmic Letterz Cover Design
Editing by Kim Lubbers
Formatting by E.C. Land
Proofreading by Jackie Ziegler
Created with Vellum
For the family who stands with and not against.
Head held high and never looking down.
Acknowledgments
My Husband and Kiddos – To my husband, who has always been the one to support our family. If he didn’t encourage me to follow my dreams and give them a chance, I wouldn’t be where I am now. He’s put up with my ramblings and throwing ideas around no matter how annoying I can be about it. Also, have to be thankful for him being there to send me inspirational music when I need it most. My kiddos, who find what I do, as they put it, cool and want to know how many words I was able to get in each day. They also like to try and help me come up with plot ideas. Some are just as wicked as my own. I also enjoy the fact they come to me when they need help with finding things wrong in their own work wanting to understand better how things are supposed to be done.
My Brothers – No matter how much we go through, they’re always there for me. One may not be here in body but is always around in spirit. My oldest brother for being proud of me and not having a problem saying it.
Rae B. Lake – Thank you for being my friend and listening to me go on about plots that make us want to write even more devious things.
My Alphas – You guys rock! Thank you all for being the first to read the stories as they come alive. It means the world to me. Especially when you all start to get mad. That’s when I know I’m doing something right. And in doing so, pushing me to keep going with all the different plots that form in my head. I’m thankful to you all for being ready and willing to read and give your input.
My Knox Publishing People – Thank you guys for being such great people to work with.
Liz – My sister from another mister, my best friend, and Publisher/Boss. You’re my go-to when I need it. If not for you, I don’t know if I’d ever be where I am today with my writing. Thank you for always pushing me and encouraging me.
Diane – Without you taking everything on for me, I wouldn’t be able to focus the way I do on my writing. Thank you for everything you do. You’re not just my PA, you’re my friend, and I couldn’t ask for a better friend than you.
Kim and Jackie – I know I’m a pain in the rear; however, you both put up with me. Thank you both for taking on all of my work. I love the fact I work with you both on each of them. Also, the fact when it comes to something I miss, you help me understand how to correct it so it doesn’t happen again.
Inferno’s Clutch MC
Louisiana Charter
President – Chains – Ol’ lady – Tiny (Sloane)
(Children – River, Brook, & Darrian)
Vice President – Tyres
(Children – Wren)
SAA – Breaker – Ol’ lady – Spitfire (Nora)
(Children – Owen)
Road Captain – Brake
Enforcer – Pitch Black – Ol’ lady – Angelina
(Children – Carson)
Former Prez – Ryder – Ol’ lady – Brielle
(Children – Micah, Marcus, & Lucy)
Medic – Pipe
Hacker – Fuse – Ol’ lady – Lyrica
Former Road Captain – Fury – Ol’ lady – Ela
(Children – Raven and Pitch Black)
Treasurer – Axel – Ol’ lady – Faith
(Children – Alec & Derrick)
Member – Speed
Member – Throttle
Member – Crash
Member – Pedal
Member – Spark
Member – Frame
Member – Lynch
Member – Shock
Member – Steel
Prospect – Rig
Prospect – Bender
Inferno’s Clutch MC
Arizona Charter
President – Marker
VP – Digger
SAA – Sawdust
Road Captain – Links
Enforcer – Snaps
Medic – Slice
Hacker – Surge
Treasurer – Maverick
Member – Dog
Member – Drifter
Member – Shooter
Member – Mayhem
Member – Creeper
Inferno’s Clutch MC
Montana Charter
President – Mountain
VP – Stinger
SAA – Quake
Road Captain – Cliff
Enforcer – Screamer
Medic – Cut
Member – Kraken
Inferno’s Clutch MC
Florida Charter
President – Risk
Inferno’s Clutch MC
Nebraska Charter
President – Lobo
Family Connections
To Founding Members
Garnier
Reno (deceased)– Father to Chains and Victoria
Irène (Never Married) – Mother to Tyres and Brake
(Father Louis Pelletier)
Arlene (Never Married) – Mother to Breaker
(Father Henry Pelletier)
Ryder/Owen – Adoptive father to Marcus and Micah, Father to Lucy
Corbin
Fury (married to Ela) – Father to Pitch Black and Raven
Scarlett (Married husband deceased) – Mother to Lynch and Harlow
DeVere
Rico – Father to Axel
Trigger Warning
This content is intended for mature audiences only. It contains material that may be viewed as offensive to some readers, including graphic language, dangerous and sexual situations, murder, rape, and extreme violence.
Proceed with caution. This book does entail several scenes that may very well be a trigger to some.
Also, tissues are a must with other scenes.
No
t for the faint at heart.
If you don’t like violence and cannot handle certain subjects, then this is not a book you’ll want to read.
CHECK OUT THE PLAYLIST THAT HELP CREATE FUSE’S HOLD!
Sober – Bad Wolves
Just Hold On – Adam Calhoun & Savannah Dexter
Maybe It’s Time – Sixx: A.M.
Leave Me Alone – Tyler Braden
Scarlet Letters – Mudvayne
Trust Issues – Wess Nyle & Hard Target
Shootout – Young Gunner & Alston Webb
Savage – Savannah Dexter
Life – Jelly Roll
Throw Another Stone – Savannah Dexter
The Heart Wants What It Wants – Selena Gomez
Bad At Love – Halsey
HOLD ON
Water crashing through me
Pain consumes me
Everything hurts
Nothing is worth holding on for
The darkness seeps in
The pain is excruciating
Sleep overtakes me
Nothing can hold me back
I’m falling deep
Spiraling into the depths
No light for me to hold on to
Pain is all I know
The darkness is welcome
Nowhere for me to grasp hold of
I’m tired of holding on
I wish more than anything
To have someone hold on
Instead of me gasping for air
My world has crashed and burned
Nothing for me to hold on to
The darkness seeps
But the light will come
If only I can hold on
Even for a moment
One breath at a time
One heartbeat after another
~ E.C. Land
Prologue
Lyrica
Time has no meaning to me as I try to stay awake. This time around, there’s no way I can stop it. If only I could.
Days of dreaming of him coming are long gone. They made sure I lost those thoughts a long time ago. I don’t even know how long they’ve held me. I’m nothing more to them than a toy to play with. I lost any status of worth shortly after they stole me away.
When I close my eyes, I’m no longer able to see the man who I pretend to loathe. No, I’d fallen in love with him a long time ago.
I can remember the day I met him and knew my heart no longer belonged to me. Maybe that’s why I’m still alive rather than having taken my life. Wait, no, that’s not true because I have tried. I tried twice before they learned to keep things away from me. I’d even taken the life of one of the men.
It had been this man’s life, I’m now waiting to be sentenced to death for. This is after they’d already beaten me so badly, I cannot walk or move.
Behind closed lids, even though it hurts, I try to draw up images in my head to remember the only time in my life that I’d been happy. Didn’t matter if he didn’t want me. I thought he did at first but learned quickly he didn’t. He’d wanted to put me in the friend zone. That wasn’t going to happen, so I’d started ignoring him completely. He didn’t take to that and now I regret I didn’t fight for what I wanted, him.
Then there’s the little girl who I’d protected by allowing those vile men to do degrading things to my body. But to keep that beautiful girl safe from their clutches, I did them. I didn’t want to. Lord knows I didn’t; however, there’s that saying about doing anything to protect a child even if they aren’t yours.
I wish I could go home. If I were to die, I’d love nothing more than to go home one last time. Say what I needed for many things.
Still, none of these things will happen. I know this and know I’ll have to die with these regrets.
The door opens to my cell and I don’t even bother to move when I hear the fast-pacing movements. I don’t listen to the sound of their voices. I’m doing everything I can to block it all out as I wait for my impending death.
Killing Allen, the second in command to the men here, wasn’t a good idea, but he’d left himself open for it when he’d passed out without chaining me to a bed while drunk. He also shouldn’t have left his knife lying there on a table after using it on me. My body is still covered in the dried blood of that night two nights ago.
Leonard, the head of these men, ordered I be beat to near death and left in my cell without food or water. He wasn’t done with me. For the last god knows how long he himself has taken me more times than I can count. His mission in breeding me never working. He and his men have kept blaming me for not getting pregnant. I’d been deemed infertile at some point and switched to nothing but a toy for them all to take advantage of.
Now with Allen dead, Leonard isn’t happy with me and I’m to die. Whether at one of their hands or from the beating I’d taken. Whichever came first.
My hope in someone coming for me died a long time ago. It’s not going to happen. I’m sure Fuse was more than happy to wash his hands of me. No matter how much that thought hurts.
Even still, if I were rescued at this point, I’m not worth anyone wanting. Let alone want anyone near me.
I simply want to die in peace and finally no longer be in any form of pain.
The stomping of rushing feet comes to a stop near me and I don’t move a muscle. Not that I could, really.
“Motherfucker,” a man growls. His voice is a new one and I wait for him to start hurting me.
“Shit. Tell me we at least got one of those fuckers,” another one sneers.
“Place is deserted, Prez. They must have been tipped off,” yet another man says.
“Fuck. This shit isn’t good. We need to get her help. Quake, go get a blanket. We’re gonna need it,” the second voice says. One set of feet move, then another set. These come in my direction.
“You gonna call Chains so he can inform Fuse, Prez?” the first voice asks.
“We’ll do that after we get her somewhere safe,” the second man says, this one being the Prez, I think.
A touch of a hand rolling me to my back has me whimpering in excruciating pain.
“It’s okay, darlin’, you’re safe now,” Prez says.
Without opening my eyes, it hurts to even try, I open my mouth to say the one thing I wish most right now. “Please just let me die. I don’t wanna hurt anymore,” I utter. These being the first words I speak that aren’t cries of pain.
“Darlin’, can’t do that, but I can promise you, your ol’ man ain’t gonna let anyone hurt you again when he comes to get you. Until then, it’ll be us to make sure no one harms you again. Now let’s get you the help you need,” he says firmly.
As his words sink in, I barely register them when darkness finally seeps in and takes me under.
Finally, peace from my hell. Freedom from the pain.
Chapter One
Fuse
One Month Earlier
My mind races with the constant thought of the what-ifs, what could have been, whys. All of that shit. I never should have pushed my woman away like I did. I knew the moment I saw her what kind of power she’d hold over me.
I’d love the sarcasm that she’d constantly throw out along with her banter. Having not heard it, it’s driving me nuts.
We’d just gotten back from the Devil’s Riot National Charter after finding a shocking as fuck surprise. Lyrica has a twin sister. They resemble each other enough that one of the members of the DRMC thought it’d been my ol’ lady.
Fuck, I’d felt my life literally deflate at the sight of Simone. Sure I felt bad for her and all she’d endured, but she’s not Lyrica. All that matters to me is getting her back, making sure she’s where she’s supposed to have been this entire time, and telling her I didn’t mean none of the hateful shit I’d said to her.
My Prez, Chains, has brought in every man he can searching for Lyrica. Including asking the DeLancys. I’m not thrilled about this considering our past, but I don’t care long as it means my woman is found. Chains�
�� ol’ lady, Tiny, after finding out her connection to the De Luca family, also worked in our favor as the woman had no problem asking her cousin, Leo, to help in the search. Even if she hadn’t, Leo’s half-brother’s twin brothers, who are members of our club, would have. Leo went to his father, Andrea, who’d stepped to the side wanting to retire from his position and asked him to speak to some of his family connections. Andrea called to the Juric family as well as the Devores and Dean O’Connell’s men.
Each day that passes with her gone is a struggle for me. Tiny blames herself, saying if she’d not come here, this wouldn’t have happened. None of us can get the thought out of her head. We all know she’ll continue to blame herself until we get Lyrica back. Then still, she might still do the same. Chains does the best he can in making sure she’s good, this also is probably due to her being pregnant with his kid and him not wanting anything to happen to her.
He’d nearly lost her the last time with the twins and he’s not too keen on it this time.
Searching through my computer, I try to find something, anything that can help me find my Lyrica. Amaya, Venom’s ol’ lady, has even started to look for her on top of other shit to do with a group of men called the Supreme Masters.
