by Lila Rose
I threw my head back and laughed. Stoke would say that. He was very protective of Nary and Josh. I brought Nary in for another hug. “Thank you, you always did know what to say to make me smile.”
“Same with you,” she whispered and pulled back. “At least I know all I have to do is talk about my sucky love life.”
“I’m sure it won’t be sucky for much longer. Someone will see your worth and sweep you off your feet.”
“Just like your guys have with you,” she teased.
Laughing, I nodded. “Yes, just like my guys.”
“Two men, Josie. Two!”
Biting my bottom lip, I blushed. “Every day I wake thinking of how lucky I am. It helps that they get along so well. They’ve accepted that I couldn’t choose between them.”
“So lucky.” She sighed giddily.
“I know.”
“Not for long,” a new voice snarled.
Nary and I jumped and turned to the entrance of the car park of the compound.
No.
Not today.
Not any day.
“You come with me now or I start shooting,” Cameron ordered and raised his gun high, pointing it right at Nary.
“Don’t,” I pleaded and stepped in front of Nary. My heart pounded in my ears, my hands shook as I held them out in front of me.
“Then come with me.” He held out his other hand toward me.
“Why? Why do this, Cameron? Do you know what today was for me? Do you even care?”
“No, I don’t care that your dad died. Perfect opportunity for me. You are all I have ever wanted and I get what I want...one way or another.” He sneered. “Now walk toward me and I won’t have to hurt anyone.”
“Why did you kill your dad and Caden’s mum?”
Please, please someone walk back out the front. Please.
“We’ll talk about that later,” he snapped.
“No. I-I can’t go with a person who’s willing to kill people.” I gulped and stepped back into Nary more.
“Don’t you see? I had to do it. They were worthless, disgusting people. Now come.” He shook his hand in front of him.
“Can I, please, can I just say goodbye to people?”
“No!” he snarled and then caught himself. “You will not go to those men again. They’re nothing, Jo-Jo. I’m more than them. I can provide for you. You’ll be happy with me.”
“But—”
“Josie,” he growled. “Come now or your friend won’t be the only one I shoot today. I’ll walk out the back and open fire on everyone even if I get shot in the process.”
No, God, no, the kids. Mum, my family. My men.
“Don’t, Josie,” Nary pleaded and grabbed my arm. She knew I wouldn’t risk anyone else.
Turning to her with tears in my eyes, I smiled sadly and said, “I have to.”
“No, no, you don’t. Please, don’t do this.” She leaned in and whispered, “I’ll scream. The men will come, they will.”
I cupped her cheek and wiped her tears with my thumb. “But not before you get hurt. I can’t let that happen. Not when I can stop it. Seek help after I’m gone—”
“Josie, now,” Cameron barked behind me.
“My men will hunt him down. They will find me,” I whispered to Nary. Turning, I stepped up to Cameron. He took my hand and started for the entrance.
“No,” I heard Nary whisper behind me. “No!” she screamed.
“Nary, don’t,” I yelled, but it was too late. She grabbed at Cameron and they struggled. I tried to get in and help her, but I was knocked backward, my bottom hitting the ground hard. “Nary,” I screamed before the gun was fired.
With wide eyes, I watched as Nary fell to the ground.
Blood.
Everywhere.
So much.
Blood covering Nary’s face dripped onto the gravel ground.
I was hurled up and over a shoulder, jolted with every running step Cameron took.
Pick
Standing out the back of the compound with Eli, Saxon and Stoke just talkin’ about random shit. But my eyes were glued to the side gate waiting for our woman to walk through with Nary by her side.
“You ready to make the move, brother?” Eli asked Saxon.
“Yeah, more than ready.” Saxon nodded. He probably needed the break from Ballarat. Too many bad memories were here for him from having a fucked-up father like his.
Bloody lucky Stoke took him under his wing and got him out.
Saxon was a good brother, a mean motherfucker who took no shit any longer. He had the body to back it all up as well. Since joining the Hawks, he’d trained hard at the gym to gain the muscle. He was a big fucker now and everyone outside Hawks knew not to screw with him.
Still, we gave him shit all the time, but he knew we were just playin’ with him. That was what brothers were for. He soon learned and gave just as much shit back.
What was on the tip of my tongue was to ask him about his situation with Nary. Everyone knew she had the hots for him, but for some reason, he was standoffish with her. I had only one thought why and that thought was standing next to him. Stoke would skin him alive if Saxon fucked with his daughter, and Saxon knew it. He respected Stoke, looked up to him, which was probably why he steered clear of Nary.
It was too bad. Our woman was sure Nary and Saxon would be great together. I didn’t really give a fuck, but I wanted my woman happy in every way and I hated it when she talked about Nary and Saxon and got a frown on her face because Saxon was being a dick.
“How’re things in Melbourne?” Stoke asked after he took a pull from his beer.
“Last I spoke with Memphis, not good. The Venom club are being cunts trying to take business away from ours, opening a club just down the road from one of Talon’s clubs,” I said with a glare.
“Talk on the street is they’re also dealin’ in sellin’ women,” Stoke said.
“Fuck,” Eli growled.
“Damn straight. That’s why Talon not only has you two stayin’ there, but why Saxon, Dallas, Dive and Dodge are there,” Stoke informed us.
“Understandable,” I said with a nod.
“Fuckin’ lucky we got Lan as well,” Eli added.
“Yeah, and apparently, Talon’s asked Warden to get to Melbourne. Wants state-of-the-art cameras at all businesses. Doesn’t trust anyone but Warden to do it.”
“That fucker can fix up anything,” Saxon said.
“Hey, guys,” Malinda said as she walked up and claimed her man with an arm around his waist. Stoke looked down at his woman and touched his lips to hers. She smiled up at him. “Have any of you seen Nary?” she asked.
“Yeah, she’s out the front with Josie, I—”
Everything stopped.
Everyone stood still.
“Nary,” we heard screamed and then...fuck, then a gunshot sounded in the calm air.
Everything sprang back into action. Men hustled women and children inside.
“No,” Malinda whispered. She started for the side gate. Stoke grabbed her and ordered her to the kids. I was already moving, rounding the corner. I ran through the gate and what I saw turned my blood cold.
Nary was on the ground, fuckin’ blood everywhere on her and Josie was over Cameron’s shoulder. He was makin’ a run for it. “Stop,” I yelled and started sprinting toward them.
All I saw was fury and a need.
A need to save our woman.
“Fuck!” Saxon bellowed behind me. “Fuck.”
Cameron turned and fired.
A pain stabbed me in the neck. I stopped.
How could I stop?
I had to get to Josie.
Still, my feet were firmly set on the ground. My hand went to my neck and when I pulled it back there was blood on it.
Shit.
Looking up, I saw Cameron deposit Josie on her feet beside him. She took one look at me and screamed with anguish.
My mouth moved, but nothing came out. Precious was on my lips bef
ore I took my last breath and fell to the ground.
Eli
I was just behind Saxon when we got around the side, and a part of me turned to stone when my eyes landed on Nary on the ground, her blood being soaked up by the gravel. And then as Saxon roared, “Fuck!” my eyes found Josie over Cameron’s shoulder.
Motherfucker.
The sound of a gun being fired hit my ears. I froze, but then my body jump-started and my eyes raked over Josie to see if she was hit. She hadn’t. Cameron was standing her on her feet. They went to Saxon now on the ground beside Stoke and Nary, cursin’, whisperin’ and prayin’.
And then...fuck me. Fuckin’ hell. My eyes landed on Caden as his body hit the ground.
Cameron took a screaming Josie into his arms and ran again.
“What the fuck?” Talon snarled from somewhere.
My feet took me to Caden, I knelt beside him.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Blood dripped out of his neck.
“Brother?” Blue said before touchin’ Caden’s neck. “No pulse.”
No. Christ. No, no.
“Fix him,” I growled low. “Fix him now. I’m gonna go get our woman back.”
“Billy,” Blue uttered. “It’s too late.”
“No!” I roared. “Fix him, brother, fix him, now.”
He read something from me and he nodded. “Go get your woman,” he said.
With a nod, I ran faster than I had ever ran before. Footsteps behind me thumped on the concrete, echoing with my own. I knew it was Saxon and probably Talon. Both of them would want payback.
Not as much as I did myself.
“There, go light, go in and get the fucker,” Talon ordered, pointing out Cameron as he rounded a corner down the street.
I took off into a neighbouring backyard. With a leap, I was over their fence and coming up the side of the house Cameron was on. My gun in my hand, I snuck low. No sound other than Josie’s cryin’ and Cameron cursing.
I had to get her back.
We needed our light.
Caden...holy Christ, my chest hurt. He had better be breathing when we get back.
Talon and Saxon had obviously turned to smoke and was comin’ in from their own way. I peeked around the house and saw Cameron, with shakin’ hands, tryin’ to unlock a car. Josie crumbled to the ground sobbin’.
But then.
Jesus. It was as if something had snapped inside her.
Josie turned her face from the ground up and glared at Cameron’s back.
She bounded up. Her fists flew into his back. He fell into the car and she pounded into him yellin’ over and over, “You bastard, you killed him, you killed Nary. You bastard. You bastard. No more. No more.”
Cameron turned to hit her. I dove behind the fence. I didn’t want him to see me yet. Josie blocked the slap to her face and shoved with all her strength into his chest. He stumbled back, his hands out to steady himself. His gun dropped to the ground.
They both eyed it. Josie got to it first.
She took a step back and raised the gun.
“You deserve to die. I just lost my dad. I just saw you shoot two people I love. You deserve to die.”
“Jo-Jo—”
“No,” she screamed. Her hands shook as she held the gun.
“Sweetheart,” I said quietly, standing. I jumped the fence and was at her side in seconds. I knew her stance. I knew her thoughts. She was ready to take his life.
One hand to her shoulder, my other hand trailed slowly down her arm to her hands, and I wrapped my hand around hers on the gun.
“Babe,” I uttered.
“Eli,” she sobbed. “Caden?”
Jesus.
“I don’t know.”
“Eli,” she uttered. “C-Caden?”
“He didn’t have a pulse when I left.”
She shook her head. “No,” she cried. “No. No one will take from us again. No more,” she declared before she fired the gun, hitting Cameron square in the chest.
Saxon showed, took Cameron to the ground and hit him over and over. If the gunshot wound didn’t kill him soon, Saxon would.
Talon, Griz and Killer appeared. They would handle things. They would clean everything up.
I had to take care of our woman.
My life.
My light.
And then...then we would get back to our other light. Caden.
Hopefully.
Fuck.
Epilogue
One month later
I stood at the grave and I couldn’t stop the tears flowing from my eyes. My heart ached. It wasn’t fair. None of it was fair. If I’d known he was going to die, I would have...what? Spent more time with him, loved him stronger, and shown him what he meant to me more.
“He knew you loved him,” Eli said, coming to stand beside me and taking my hand. All I could do was nod. It still felt all too fresh. I wanted to be happy with Eli by my side, but I couldn’t. At that time, sadness had dragged me down deep into her hell pit to play with me.
Pain because he no longer was on the earth, surfaced once again.
Feeling the pain for the last month was nothing new.
However, standing there before his grave brought everything back.
“Sweetheart, it will get easier.”
Would it?
I wasn’t sure, but I had to believe it for our future.
Mum was finally able to go a day without crying. Nary was recovering after her first plastic surgery attempt. Still, she would always have a scar from the side of her lip up to her cheek bone. She didn’t blame me for it, even though I blamed myself. Her life would be different from now on and I found it hard knowing that I was the cause. I would do anything for my friend. I hoped she knew it. I’d told her if she ever needed anything from me, I was there for her. I think the one thing that upset her deeply was that Saxon had left to join the Caroline Springs charter. She had been in love with him since she was sixteen. I truly hoped he would see the error of his ways and find himself back to her...or, I could even bring her to Melbourne with us one day. That was something to think about.
We were heading back to Melbourne, to our new home. I had many things to look forward to. Knowing my family would visit helped and knowing I would make it back to Ballarat all the time helped. I had a plan at least and maybe that plan would help dull the pain. Again, I could only hope.
Once we were settled into our house, I would head back to uni to finish my degree and then I would find a job and be able to do what I’d always wanted to do.
Time to move on...it didn’t matter that the sorrow would follow. I welcomed it. It meant I wouldn’t forget.
“You know I’ll always be here for you,” Eli said. I wrapped my arms around his neck and nodded. He would. He was wonderful like that and he loved me like I loved him. Never would I feel alone, never would I feel threatened.
Not when I had him.
“We’ll always be here for you.” And Caden. I had my men and we’d been through our own hell, but we survived and it was time to show Dad I could continue with life.
Shifting, I took Caden into my arms, but not before I eyed his scarred neck. I’d nearly lost him. That thought still scared me.
I looked over his shoulder to Dad’s grave.
Dad
I love you. I’ll miss you every day, but I want you to know I’m happy.
And it was because of you I could be happy.
Never had I felt so much love because of what you and Mum did.
Never could I have wished for such wonderful parents because I didn’t believe they existed.
They did.
And you were it.
You were my friend, my adviser, my counsellor and my dad.
I’ll miss you, Dad.
Forever.
“Let’s head home, yeah?” Caden asked.
I looked from him to Eli and smiled. I took a hand of each man I loved and we walked toward our future together.
The End
Coming N
ext Year
Hiding Out
Dodge and Willow’s Story
Other Titles by Lila Rose
Hawks MC Club Series
Holding Out
Climbing Out
Finding Out (novella)
Black Out
No Way Out
Coming Out (novella)
Hawks MC: Caroline Springs Charter
The Secret’s Out (#1)
Trinity Love Series
Left to Chance
Liberty’s Story (title TBA) Coming Soon
YA
Senseless Attraction
Connect with Lila Rose
Website: http://lilarose2678.wix.com/author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7236200.Lila_Rose
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLilaRose?ref=tn_tnmn&fref=nf
Discover: Addison Jane
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8324010.Addison_Jane
Harmony (The Club Girl Diaries #1)
Harmony makes no excuses for who she is or what she’s done. For the past few years she’s been living as a club girl for the Brothers by Blood MC. The club girls are there for a purpose - to cook, to clean and to keep the men happy. She respects the club, respects the men and she follows the rules. Watching the men walk in and out of her life is strangely comforting, and a feeling she’s grown accustomed to. With a history of disappointments and false promises, all she wants is to have fun, play music and finish college. Being associated with the club, she can do that without having to risk her heart. That was until he showed up.
When Kit's father stepped down as president, he took the title with pride. The Brothers by Blood MC is his family, his home. Deciding to celebrate his new title with his brothers from a neighbouring charter, the last thing he expected was to find Harmony - a club girl with all the makings of a perfect old lady. The stunning blonde is beautiful, strong and fiercely independent. Harmony refuses to lower the walls she’s created around her heart, but the fire inside her and her love for the club fuel his need to have her by his side, and on the back of his bike.
When Harmony’s safety is threatened, Kit is determined to do whatever it takes to protect her and prove that she can trust him. But after a lifetime of broken promises, will it be enough?
