Betrayed
Soldiers of Darkness MC
#2
Copyright © Michelle Betham 2016
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, without the prior permission of the author.
The story, characters and events in this book are a work of the author’s imagination, and are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to any person, place, name or actual event is entirely coincidental.
Main cover image – iStock.
Table of Contents
Also by the Author
About the Author
Playlist
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Epilogue
Contact the Author
Also by Michelle Betham
Titles published through HarperImpulse (A division of HarperCollins Publishers)
Striker – The Striker Trilogy Book #1
Extra Time – The Striker Trilogy Book #2
Final Score – The Striker Trilogy Book #3
The First Christmas Without You
Shirley Valentine Goes to Vegas
Self-Published titles
No Matter What (All that Glitters… Book #1)
Illusions of Love (All that Glitters… Book #2)
See You At The Show (A rock star romance)
Unbreakable
Revolution – The Lone Riders M/C Series Book #1
Retribution – The Lone Riders M/C Series Book #2
Resurrection – The Lone Riders M/C Series Book #3
Allure – The Forbidden Series Book #1
Obsession – The Forbidden Series Book #2
Surrender – The Forbidden Series Book #3
Broken – Soldiers of Darkness M/C Series Book #1
About the Author
Michelle Betham is an ex-media technician turned author of hot, edgy, gritty romance, usually involving rock stars, sports stars, and bikers. But not usually all in the same book. Yet. She is both self-published and published through HarperImpulse, a division of HarperCollins Publishers.
Addicted to binge-watching TV dramas she struggles to think of a life before Netflix or Amazon Prime, loves rock music, tattoos, spicy food, superheroes (and that includes a particularly unhealthy obsession with Iron Man), and Keanu Reeves – a crush that's lasted well over twenty years, and one she blames entirely on 'Point Break'. The original. She refuses to acknowledge any remake exists…
Her dream is to ride a Harley. And visit Las Vegas. And be able to eat any amount of chocolate without putting on weight.
She lives in County Durham, north-east England, with her husband and West Highland Terrier, where she can be found most days drinking tea and making up stories.
Playlist
Coming For The Throne - Otherwise
Tear Down The Wall - Art Of Dying
The Vengeful One - Disturbed
Control - Puddle Of Mud
In Chains - Shaman’s Harvest
Coming Undone - Korn
A Better Man - Thunder
The Blue - Against All Will
The Damage Is Done - Thunder
Fire Up The Night - New Medicine
My Nemesis - Five Finger Death Punch
Guilty (You’re Already Dead) - Wilson
Become The Enemy - Like A Storm
Nobody Parying For Me - Seether
In The Dark - 3 Doors Down
The Calling - Audiotopsy
Sick Individual - Halestorm
The complete ‘Soldiers of Darkness’ playlist can be found on Spotify
http://spoti.fi/1xaON3D
Dedication
For everyone who’s stuck by me, supported me, and encouraged me. And for those who’ve, maybe, just found me. This one’s for you. But then, they’re all for you… Thank you…
We all want what we can’t have, that’s just human nature. And sometimes, maybe, if you’re one of the lucky ones, what you think you’ll never have suddenly appears within reach. But what happens when the one thing you thought you wanted so badly actually turns out to be the one thing you really didn’t need. And yet, it’s still the one thing you want more than anything, no matter what the consequences may be…
Chapter One
Izzi
I watch as the cluster of tiny needles punch into my skin, Zeb’s hand strong and steady as he completes the final layer of color to the deep, dark-red roses he’s etched onto my thigh. I have a lot of tattoos now, each and every one of them designed and given to me by Zeb – Vice-President of this New Mexico chapter of the Soldiers of Darkness MC. My husband. A dangerous man. An outlaw; the kind of man I once would have been terrified of, in my other life. Now he’s the man I love – a different kind of love to what I’ve known before, but it’s the kind of love I need. Now.
‘All done, princess. Go take a look at your old man’s handiwork.’
I slide off the chair and go over to the mirror to check out my new ink – an intricate design of roses and thorns winding their way around a deep gray handgun. It’s beautiful, in a warped, wrong kind of way. I love it. I love Zeb. I love my life here in New Mexico. I mean, it was never how I’d imagined my future to turn out – married to an outlaw biker, living in the U.S., far away from my home in Britain; I never imagined myself as a woman who’s killed. Yeah, I killed a man – the man who tore the life I should’ve been living away from me. He had to pay for that. He had to go. And I’m OK now. I’m all right. All of that, it’s over. It’s done. And I love the new life that came out of all that crap. I get off on the risks that come with it. I’m a changed woman, and there isn’t any going back now.
‘So, fucking, sexy,’ Zeb growls as he winds an arm around my waist, pulling me back against him, his teeth gently nipping my earlobe as he holds me. ‘What did I do to get an old lady as hot as you, huh?’
I turn to face him, and he gently rests his hand against my neck, tilting my head back slightly, and he kisses me, long and deep and slow. ‘You just got lucky,’ I gasp as his other hand cups my ass and presses me against him, his hard-on digging into my thigh, and I want him, right here, right now, in the back of his tattoo studio. I want him. So he’s about to get even luckier.
‘This is why I like you naked when I ink you,’ he murmurs, and I reach down and unzip him, pushing him back onto the tattoo chair. ‘Makes this shit a hell of a lot easier.’
I smile and straddle him, lowering myself down onto his rigid cock, taking him deep, arching my back as he leans forward to suck on my nipples, his hands grasping my hips, keeping me steady as I ride him.
‘Hey, Zeb.’
‘I’m busy, Hal.’
‘Yeah, I can see that, but Mack needs you over at the clubhouse.’
I turn my head slightly and smi
le at Hal, Mack’s Road Captain. ‘Hey, Hal.’
‘Izzi.’
His face breaks into a slow leer as he watches Zeb fuck me. It’s not unusual, for anyone to walk in on us, fucking. It’s what we do, and we don’t care who sees. Yeah… I get off on that, too.
‘Get outta here, Hal.’ Zeb’s breathing turns more ragged, and I know he’s reaching his climax, so I turn my head back to face him, kissing him hard and slow and I hear the door close, so I know we’re alone now. We can finish this in private. ‘Baby, you are killing me,’ Zeb groans, his fingers digging into my flesh as I push down onto him, moving my body slightly so he sinks deeper into me, and that’s when it hits him; when I feel him come, feel him spilling out inside of me and I reach down to touch myself, stroking my throbbing clit until my own climax rocks my entire body from the tips of my toes to the top of my head. It’s a glorious shiver, a beautiful relief. ‘You fucking kill me.’ He grins, and I smile again as everything starts to slow down, but I stay straddling him. I want him inside me for a few more minutes before I have to let him go.
‘That’s my job,’ I whisper, my mouth resting against his as I speak.
‘Yeah.’ His grin widens. ‘It is.’
His hands move up to the small of my back, his fingers splaying out against my skin and I throw my head back as his mouth once more covers my nipples, first one, then the other, his tongue flicking over them, sending another glorious shiver coursing through me. But I know he has to go now. Mack needs him. And despite an obvious friction that still exists between the two of them, they work well together, as far as the MC’s concerned. Along with Sam, who seems to have taken on the role of “business manager”, they’ve got it all running pretty smoothly.
‘I’d better go,’ he sighs, gently lifting me off him, and I reach for my T-shirt, pulling it on, and he catches my waist and pulls me against him again. ‘I kinda get off on that T-shirt, boots and no panties look. Gets my cock hard all over again.’
‘Mack needs you.’ I smile and press myself harder against him, because I like to tease. I like to play with this man; with any man. And Zeb likes me to do just that, to show every other guy what they’d love to have, but never will. They don’t even get to touch. Because they know what’ll happen if they do. But I can tease them. I can play with them. I have his permission. He likes it. But there are exceptions. He doesn’t want me anywhere near Mack, not in that way. And I understand why. I’m not sure I can trust myself to be that close to Mack, in that way. ‘You’d better go.’
He cups my ass and squeezes it gently before he slides a hand between my legs, and I push down onto him, kissing the base of his throat as he throws his head back and groans loudly. ‘She’s freakin’ killing me!’ he shouts, and I laugh, and he takes my face in his hands and brings his mouth down onto mine in a crushing kiss that, quite literally, takes my breath away. ‘Later, beautiful.’
‘Yeah.’ I smile as I watch him grab his jacket and leave the room. ‘Later.’ And I sit down on the edge of the chair and spread my legs, gently touching myself. He’s left me wanting more. And this is the only way I’m going to get that satisfaction now.
Mack
I light up another cigarette, but I’m only doing it ‘cause I’m tired of waiting for Zeb to get here. And I know I’m only agitated ‘cause I know what the hold up’ll be. He was giving Izzi new ink this afternoon, and when Zeb and Izzi are together it usually only ends one way, Jesus, they fuck more times a day than most people would think is physically possible, and they don’t care where they do it either. Man, even I’ve caught them at it like rabbits on freakin’ coke; they don’t give a crap. And, yeah, there’s a part of me that’s jealous as hell, I mean, I still want that woman like I’ve never wanted anything or anyone before in my entire, sorry fucking life. I want her. So does every other guy in this club, they all want her. But the difference between me and them is that, one day, I’ll have her. I’m just biding my time, waiting patiently ‘til I can make my move.
‘You need me for something?’
I turn to see Zeb saunter into the chapel, all arrogance and attitude but, hey. That’s a family trait. I can hardly hate him for that. ‘Yeah. I do.’
‘So? What’s up?’
He leans back against the door and flips a cigarette between his teeth, lighting up, and all the time his eyes never leave mine.
‘Sorry. Have I dragged you away from something important?’
He holds my gaze, and his face breaks into a slow grin. ‘Nothing that can’t wait. She’ll keep.’
There are times when I still want to punch the bastard into the middle of next week, but I hold back because, for now, he’s useful. This club needs a man like Zeb. Nobody messes with him, they wouldn’t freakin’ dare. ‘I’ve been doing some digging.’
‘Into what?’ Zeb blows a stream of smoke up into the air and again I just want to hit him. For some reason he’s aggravating me big time today, but maybe that’s just because I know where he’s been; what he’s been doing. I can smell her perfume on him, and that makes my stomach dip slightly, but I pull back and throw him a look that tells him I ain’t in the mood to be fucked about.
‘Into who the fuck grassed me up to Viper.’
He looks at me for a second or two before he takes one last drag on his cigarette and stubs it out on the doorpost. ‘Maybe you should just leave that alone now, Mack. I mean, Izzi – she sorted it. She got Viper off our backs.’
‘Izzi killed him, yeah, but that wasn’t sorting shit, Zeb. For her, maybe, OK. It’s made her feel better; she’s moved on now. But I still need to find out who the rat is, because I ain’t happy about having one here in our club. Don’t matter which chapter he’s in, he’s gotta be rooted out and dealt with. And I think I know who it might be.’
Zeb raises an eyebrow and walks over to the window, looking out into the compound. There ain’t all that much going on out there today. Most of the guys are either at the tattoo studio or helping Sam out with whatever shit he’s got going down, although, I got a few of them over at the new bar we got opening in a few days’ time, making sure it’s all ready to go. I guess I kinda miss Laney’s. I’m hoping this new place’ll fill that void.
‘Who?’ Zeb asks, turning to face me.
‘My old V.P. back in North Carolina.’
‘Odi?’ Zeb raises an eyebrow and folds his arms against himself. ‘I thought all your brothers were solid.’
‘Yeah, well, sometimes even those closest to you can’t be trusted.’
‘How sure are you ‘bout this?’
‘Not one hundred per cent certain. Yet. I gotta couple of people helping me out back home, so, I’ll wait and see what they come up with. But he was the only one I told, Zeb. About coming here, to New Mexico. He was the only one I told. No-one else needed to know.’
‘Don’t mean that he didn’t tell anyone else. Or that someone else, somehow, found out.’
‘That’s what I need to know. And that’s why I ain’t doing anything ‘til I got something definite.’
‘And what then? If it is him, what you gonna do?’
I narrow my eyes as I stare at him. ‘I’m gonna sort it.’
‘How?’
‘You want to know every fucking detail? ‘Cause I ain’t got that covered yet, OK? Let’s wait and see if my hunch is right, then we’ll take it from there. I just need to know I’ve got you on side for this one. I might need your help.’
And it fucking pains me to say that; to admit that I might need his help, but it’s a possibility. Zeb’s a freakin’ machine, capable of shit even I ain’t done, and he’ll make sure we put this crap to bed, for good. Ain’t no one disrespecting the club Cooper built up; the club he left in my hands. He had no time for rats, and I ain’t either. So we find this brother, and we deal with him. Then I can concentrate on what I really came here to do.
Zeb shrugs and moves away from the window. ‘You know I got your back on this one.’
And I’m gonna try and be grat
eful for that.
‘That all?’ He grins again, and I feel my stomach take another dive. ‘We good?’
I sigh and sit down at the head of the table. I got stuff to do, so, yeah. I’m done with him now. ‘Yeah. We’re good. I’ll see you back here tonight.’
‘Ain’t one to miss a party, brother.’
I watch him leave then sit back in my chair, throw back my head, and let loose the longest sigh of frustration.
‘Something wrong?’
I look up as Sam walks in.
‘Am I running an open fucking house today?’ I pull myself to my feet and slide my hands back through my hair.
‘You seem agitated,’ Sam continues, his eyes following my every move, which kinda pisses me off.
‘Didn’t get much sleep last night, is all.’
‘Maybe if you tried finding yourself a proper place to live instead of crashing here every night…’
‘I like it here.’
He stares at me for a couple of beats, but he drops the subject. Which is wise. Whatever his blood connection to me, I still can’t think of him as my father. I can’t go there, it’s way too soon. Maybe I never will be able to see him as my father, I don’t know. And I certainly don’t want him acting like he is, I ain’t dealing with that crap.
‘Everything OK?’
‘Everything’s fine. You want something?’
He moves further into the room and closes the door behind him, which causes me to eye him suspiciously. ‘Izzi.’
‘What about her?’
‘You still dealing with her and Zeb all right?’
I laugh. I can’t help it. What the fuck does this guy think I am? Some love-struck teenager who can’t get over losing the hottest girl in school to the biggest jerk in class? ‘Unless there’s something club-related you want to talk about, I got things to do, so…’
Betrayed (Soldiers of Darkness MC Book 2) Page 1
