Hades' Flame

by Glenna Maynard

  My hand itches to go for my gun but I stay stoic. He wants to intimidate me and push me.

  He has no idea who I am but one day I will see him fall. I will see Tiny Leone on his knees begging me to put a bullet in him. But I will end him just as he ended my sister.

  If Tiny wants payment he’s going to get it. I’ll pay him in his own blood. Even if it takes me the rest of my life.

  “Fuck,” I yell once Tiny is gone.

  Cupid whistles. “Two weeks. Damn.”

  I shake my head.

  “I don’t want to be that man, C.”

  “Danny.” He flicks his finger against my patch. “I don’t know if you are aware but this patch right here, the one that says, Hades and your missing hand says otherwise. At home when you are with Sara, be Danny. But when you are with your club they need that man. They need Hades to lead them.”

  His words ignite something inside me. The darkness that used to plague me…that feeling of wanting to watch my enemies burn.

  “We have a house to blaze. Get Terror, Boogeyman, Reaper, and Uno on the line. Tell them I need the blueprints of a sorority house in Nashville.”

  Pulling out my own Zippo, I flick the flame.

  The fire dances in my eyes.

  If Tiny wants five girls. I’ll bring him ten.

  Chapter 3

  Sara

  “Harley, I feel stupid, wearing this crown.” It’s hot pink with the word bride spelled out in silver glitter letters. “I think I have glitter in my eyes,” I grumble. Harley is my Uncle, Rebel’s daughter.

  “Stop being difficult, Sara. I went through a lot trouble planning your party. I have to babysit for three weekends in a row for this.” Harley talked my brother into getting us fake ids for the bar we are going to. He probably would have done it anyway, but I’m not going to tell Harley that.

  “Does your mom know?”

  “Eww. No, you know how she is. Morgan is covering for us.” She smirks. Morgan, her older, adopted sister is married to my brother. Our family tree is seriously fucked up, but that story is for another time

  God help Morgan and Cole if my dad or anyone else finds out they had a hand in tonight.

  “You’re getting married. This is important. It may be the only fun you have in your life.” She laughs and smooths red lipstick over my lips.

  “I’m getting married. Not dying.” I grab some tissue and wipe off some of the makeup she just applied. It’s too heavy. Makes face feel all cakey.

  “Have you talked to your mom?”

  “Nope.” I pop the P.

  “You need to make peace with her.”

  “Thank you, Captain Obvious. And no, I am not gonna apologize. I didn’t do anything wrong. I have done everything she wanted. I finished school and waited months to make her happy. If she wants to be a witch about this…then that’s on her. Not me.” Shrugging, I get up from the vanity seat and look over my outfit in the mirror. I’m wearing dark skinny jeans and an emerald green silky halter top. I wish Danny were here to see me, but he’s in Webb Hollow. Lord only knows what kind of party he’s having there. I don’t want to even think about what those skanky hangaround bitches will try to do to him or for him in an attempt to catch his eye one last time.

  A knock sounds on the bedroom door. It’s Morgan and Cole. “Here are your ids and if you’re ready, let’s get on the road. I told your moms’ we are going to the movies in Martin and that it is a late showing.”

  “Thanks, Morg.” Harley squeezes her neck.

  “Are you sure you’ll be okay with CT and Jack?” Jack is my brother and Morgan’s five-month-old son.

  “Pfft. I’ll be fine. I’m a pro at this diaper business,” Cole says with a laugh.

  “Well, don’t be calling and rushing us back. I mean it, Cole. This is my first girl’s night since before Jack was born.” Morgan pins him with an icy glare.

  He holds his hands up. “Fuck. I hear you.”

  “And watch your mouth around the boys, they are like sponges,” she warns.

  “Give me a kiss and get outta here before I change my mind,” he teases with a crooked smirk.

  “Eww, I don’t want to see this.” I hold up my hands and go into the living room to tell my boy goodbye.

  “CT.” As I call out to him, he coos up at me from his bouncy chair. I haven’t decided who he takes after. Danny says he looks a lot like Harper did as a child, but I can’t picture that in my head. All I ever knew her as was a sadistic bitch with crazy eyes.

  Morgan and Harley are finally ready, and we get on the road.

  We’re going to some bar called, Chances. It’s newer and not affiliated with any of the MC’s which is great for us considering we don’t want anyone to know what we are up to tonight.

  I would be content with really going to the movies, but Harley insisted. I think tonight has more to do with her being pissed off at Kyler than taking me out for the night, but I am along for the ride.

  He has been keeping his distance since my brother jumped his ass about sneaking her into the Roadhouse, the Black Rebel Riders’ MC clubhouse.

  The drive to the bar doesn’t take all that long and when we pull into the parking lot I start to get nervous.

  I’ve never been to a bar before. I am so glad Morgan decided to come with us. She’s older and wiser. Plus, she will keep Harley from getting into too much trouble.

  We get through the door with no problem. The bouncer barely looked over our ids before taking our money and waving us through.

  Music is blaring through the speakers as we walk into the main room. A long bar is off to one side of the wall and a seating area is on the opposite side. The dance floor is in between the two areas. The place isn’t large, but it is packed.

  It is all a bit overwhelming.

  “What first? Drinks or dancing?”

  Harley and I both answer, “Drinks!”

  “You two get a table and I’ll go order,” Morgan tells us.

  Harley grabs my arm and tugs me forward. “Isn’t this exciting?”

  “Sure.” I smile at her not wanting to be a downer. Truth is, I would rather be home with CT and talking on the phone to Danny.

  We find a table up against the wall, by the hallway that I assume leads to the bathrooms. The strobe lights keep flashing and the result is a headache starting at the base of my neck.

  “I can’t believe we are at a real bar!” Harley squeals in my ear and my temples throb.

  “It’s great.” I half nod.

  “Don’t be a sourpuss. Tonight, is your night. In like two days you are marrying Danny. Tonight, don’t be you. Be someone new. Cut loose and live a little. You are too young to be so settled.”

  Part of me agrees with her, but the biggest part of me knows that being here at the bar, it just isn’t me.

  When Morgan brings us our drinks, I take an eager swig, hoping it does the trick and breaks me out of my shell. Before Danny kidnapped me, I probably would have been all for sneaking into a bar. I’m not that girl anymore though. I’m a mom and I’m getting married. I have different goals and interest, I guess.

  Taking out my cell phone, I turn it over in my hands. The temptation to text Danny wrenches at me as well as thoughts of calling Cole to check on CT.

  Before I can do either, Morgan snatches my phone and tucks it away in her purse. “Nope, I know that look, Sara. CT is fine, and Danny is off doing his thing.”

  “Fine,” I grumble and suck the rest of my drink through my straw. The liquor shoots to my toes, warming me all over along the way.

  “Let's dance!” Harley jumps up and brings me along with her as a fast beat song starts to play.

  Chapter 4

  Danny

  “Can’t fucking believe I let you talk me into this shit.” Boogeyman shakes his head. “Fucking yuppie club. We could be with the rest of the guys back in Webb Hollow getting our dicks sucked by the Lennon twins.”

  “You didn’t have to come. I’m a big boy. I can handle myself.”


  He snorts. “Right. The minute we get in this place and you see some redneck pansy feeling up on your girl, I’ll be dragging your ass back out.”

  “Not gonna happen. Sara’s a good one. She isn’t like the whores you waste your time with.”

  “I fuckin’ feel naked without my cut,” he grumbles, patting his pockets for his lighter.

  “Me too, man. But you know the rules. No colors allowed. This isn’t our territory.”

  “Bullshit is what it is.”

  I had every intention on staying away tonight and letting Sara have this one night to do whatever she wants but Cole called me and said he didn’t like the idea of the girls being out on their own without protection. Apparently, he couldn’t pull a prospect for the duty. I could have sent one of my own, but the temptation to see Sara was too damn great.

  I have been so immersed with the club, I forget what it’s like to be a regular dude going out for the night. No pressure of running the club and the worry of Tiny and his shit hanging over my head.

  If Sara knew what I am planning to do, I don’t know if she’d ever be able to look at me the same. I promised I was done with the bad shit. I made a deal that I wouldn’t be in the business of trafficking women anymore, but I don’t have a choice. Well, I have options but none of them are good. I can’t take on Tiny just yet. My club isn’t strong enough and fuck, if I bring Sara’s family in on it and something goes south, she’d blame me.

  I gotta handle shit my own way.

  “Let’s get this pussy shit over with. Ya know just because you are all in love and getting married, raising a family. Doesn’t mean the rest of us want to.”

  “No one is asking you to do shit. My marrying Sara won’t change shit at the clubhouse, man. What happens there stays there, so no loose lips around Sara. Don’t be scaring her friends either.”

  “I’m not scary.” He puffs out his chest and strokes his goatee.

  “Right. We call you the Boogeyman for nothing, huh?”

  “Fucking make one guy go insane and you treat me like a damn monster.”

  “You are a monster, you sick fuck.” I punch him in the arm. “Let’s go.” Boogeyman might like to joke around but make no mistake the motherfucker is a damn nightmare. He gets inside the heads of our enemies and finds out what matters most to them and uses it against them. It is all psychological, but I wouldn’t want to fuck with him.

  When we get inside, I witness the last thing I expected to find. Sara is out on the dance floor fucking sandwiched between two fucking dead motherfuckers’.

  “Isn’t that your girl out there.” Boogeyman chuckles. “I’m getting a beer. You want one?”

  “Yeah, so I can break it over their Goddamned heads,” I snarl.

  “Easy, Hades. Don’t go over there blazing with anger. See.”

  “Yeah.” Sara is pushing he guys away, but it doesn’t make me feel any damn better.

  “Hey. I thought that was you.” Morgan walks up next to me.

  “Well hello, sexy and my next conquest,” Boogeyman says, making a total ass of himself. I could step in and clear shit up, but I will enjoy hearing Morgan put him in his place.

  “What’s your name?” She questions, stepping closer and putting her hand on his chest.

  “Boogeyman, but you can call me anything you want.” He smirks.

  “Is that because you always need to blow your nose?” She makes a sour face. “You should really get a tissue and look in the mirror.”

  Boogeyman’s jaw drops as Morgan walks off. “Come on, I’ll show you where we are sitting,” she calls back over her shoulder.

  “Who the fuck was that? But seriously though, do I have a booger, man?”

  “Shut the fuck up and go get that beer.”

  Sara

  My head is spinning. I think I’ve had too much to drink because when I look over to the table I could swear Danny is sitting with Morgan.

  As I get closer I see indeed it is him.

  His dark hair is swept back, showing off those dark, intensely sexy eyes.

  I rush toward him, nearly tripping over my heels along the way. Crashing into his arms, a hiccup bubbles from my throat.

  “Hi,” I whisper, nuzzling into his neck, inhaling his freshly showered scent.

  “Nice tiara.” His arms wrap around me, securing me in his lap.

  “I missed you. I was gonna call, but somebody snatched my phone.” I roll my eyes on the last part.

  “It’s fine.” He winks, and I melt into him.

  “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be off stuffing dollar bills in striper’s cracks?”

  “That’s what I’m saying.” Boogeyman, hands Danny a beer. He’s one of the members of the Devils Rejects. I don’t know much about him other than he gives off a dark vibe.

  I’ve met the VP, Cupid. Danny says he got his name because the guy has been married three times.

  Harley stalks from the dance floor. “You totally ditched me, bit-…” she stops short when she sees Boogeyman. “Well hello tall, dark, and sexy. Who are you?”

  “Don’t even think about it,” Danny shoots her down before Boogeyman can speak.

  Crossing her arms, Harley huffs out, “Rude! This place blows.”

  I look over and see Morgan is on her phone, probably talking to my brother. Not that I can blame her. If Danny wasn’t here I’d be fighting for my phone back.

  “I hate to cut this party short, but we should probably get going. Both boys have had explosive diapers and Cole is about to lose his mind.”

  “This is the lamest night out ever. Sorry, Sara,” Harley pouts. “I didn’t even get to piss Kyler off.”

  “Kyler. What kind of pussy name is that?” Boogeyman muses.

  “That pussy is my boyfriend, thank you very much. At least he wasn’t named after a booger.”

  I burst out laughing and so does everyone else, well not Boogeyman.

  A primal growl rips from his chest, killing our laughter.

  “Fuck ya’ll I’m a goddamned nightmare.”

  The angry snarl on his face has me erupting with laughter again.

  He shakes his head. “I’ll meet you at the truck. Fucking missed the twins for this juvenile shit, Mickey Mouse Club,” he mutters under his breath.

  My brows knit together. “Twins?”

  Danny sighs. “I’ll tell you about it later. Come on, I’ll walk you out.” Morgan and Harley walk ahead of us as he kisses my forehead.

  “You driving back tonight?”

  “Nope. Got a room.” His prosthetic fingers dig into my hip bone with a tight squeeze.

  “I can ask Morgan to keep CT,” I suggest, hoping he wants to spend the night together. We never get any time alone.

  “We could go get him.”

  I scrunch up my nose. “Seriously?” I love him, but I really want some time alone with my man.

  Danny bumps his shoulder against mine. “I’m just giving you shit.”

  We navigate through the crowd and make it outside the club and Boogeyman already has some chick in the truck with him.

  I keep any snide remarks running through my head to myself. It isn’t any of my business what or who he does. If I know anything about being an old lady, it’s that.

  Morgan hands my phone back to me and gives me a hug, promising to cover for me so I can spend the night with Danny.

  Chapter 5

  Danny

  Closing the door behind me, I watch as Sara clumsily attempts to kick her shoes off. She manages to get one heel off before tumbling onto the bed with a drunken giggle.

  “Do you know how sexy you are?”

  She stares up at me with fire in her eyes. A fire that only burns for me. I’m a lucky son of a bitch. I can’t believe in a few days she’ll have my ring on her finger and be coming home with me for good.

  “I know you make me feel sexy.” Her hand glides up her arm and to her neck to undo the string of her shirt. The deep green against her creamy freckled skin pair
ed with her gorgeous red hair is picture fuckin’ perfect.

  The scrap of fabric that qualifies as her shirt slips down her torso, but her hair hangs over her shoulders, shielding her breasts from me.

  The love I feel for her hits me square in the chest as my heart thumps wildly with raw passion. I never knew love could feel so good. I’ve never felt anything like what I feel for Sara. There have been times in my life I never could have imagined someone so pure and beautiful as her loving me.

  But she does.

  Sara has such faith in me.

  It kills me to know that our marriage will start in a lie, but I can’t tell her about the shit with Tiny. It would crush her.

  I won’t do that to her. Besides, it’s club business. She understands there are things I can’t discuss.

  The less she knows the better.

  If something were to happen to me, at least she’d remember me like this…as simply Danny and not Hades.

  I’m not ashamed of that side of me, but that part of me knows dark shit. Hades is the man I became after I lost my hand. I went down a dark path, doing anything Marek asked me to. I turned off the part of me that felt anything until Sara. She woke up the good in me. She’s the flame that keeps that part of me burning.

  She’s my Flame.

  Kicking my boots off, I shrug my shirt over my head and toss it to a nearby chair.

  I take off my jeans and my woman licks her lips with pure hunger and need.

  It’s been too damn long since I’ve had her. Her mother has made damn sure I haven’t been able to get her alone long enough for much more than sneaking off in dark corners and feeling her up.

  It’s been fucking hard, but I have stayed faithful. There have been temptations, but I would never hurt Sara in that way. I would rather cut off my other hand than do that to her.

  “Fuck you are killing me, Sara.” Her shirt falls to the floor and her fingers move to the button on her jeans. “Stop. Let me. Want to take my time and enjoy having you to myself.”

  “I want you, Danny. I need you.” Raising up to her knees, she hooks an arm around my neck, bringing my mouth down on hers. So fucking sweet. The sweetest of sins.