Gods & Monsters

by Jani Kay

  Hopefully they’d both be too busy to notice me, so I crawled from behind the door all along the wall in the direction they’d come from. I had to find Mia.

  Demon talking dirty to my wife was not sexy at all. I’d make him eat his fucking words. And if he hurt her or Jamie, I’d skin him alive.

  Chapter 43 — Mia

  Although Jamie was light as a feather, my muscles strained as I stood with him in my arms. There was no way I was letting go of my boy, even if my arms felt numb.

  How was I getting past Daemon? Every cell in my body was ready for flight or fighting. I’d prefer leaving, but it was clear he wouldn’t let me walk out of here without force. Physically I was no match for him, so I’d have to bargain with him instead.

  “What exactly do you want, Daemon? Tell me what it will take for me to get Jamie out of here alive.” My voice was strong and confident, although inside I fear roiled in my gut. What would this man ask of me? Would I be prepared to pay his price? A man like Daemon would demand no less than my fucking soul.

  Daemon took a step closer again, running his hand over my hip. He gripped my waist and smirked. “You’d be prepared to negotiate for the boy’s life? I’m impressed. That’s selfless of you, Alessandra.”

  “Mia,” I corrected him. I knew his stubbornness to use my old name had to do with the fact that Cobra had given my new name to me because it had a specific meaning. “Mia, because I belong to the man who gave me the name. I belong to Cobra.”

  His eyes narrowed and he clenched his teeth, his fingers digging deeper into my skin. “You’d do well not to remind me of that,” he hissed.

  He was right. I was playing with fire, taunting the man who held my and Jamie’s lives in his hands. Yet I needed him to understand that although I was prepared to strike a bargain with him, it wouldn’t change how I felt in any way.

  Yeah, I was prepared to make sacrifices to protect my loved ones. My husband and my son. The club and all the brothers. It would be a small price to pay for their wellbeing.

  “Tell me what you want, Daemon. Let’s settle this for once and forever.”

  Without hesitation, he answered, “I already told you what I want. I want you. In my bed. As my lover. Doing everything I ask of you.” He cupped my chin and raised my face so I had nowhere to look but into his eyes. “Are you ready for that, Alessandra? Can you give yourself to me to save your boy?”

  I sucked in a ragged breath. Why, of all the women on the fucking planet, would he want me? Because I was out of his reach? It didn’t make sense.

  “I have demands of my own,” I said, staring him squarely in the eyes.

  He threw back his head and laughed. “See, that’s exactly why I want you. You are in no fucking position to be making demands, but that doesn’t stop you. God, I can’t wait for you to be mine.”

  “Only if you meet my conditions. Otherwise, no deal.”

  “There’s nothing to stop me from shooting you and the boy this minute. Killing my brother’s wife and kid will give me great pleasure, and be the perfect payback. Why should I care about what you demand?”

  “Because you’re smarter than that. Because giving me what I want gets you what you want.”

  “So you’d give me what I want? You’d stay in my bed and be my whore?”

  “Yes,” I breathed. My head was spinning and my heart beating a thousand miles per hour. This was crazy. Fucking insane. For now, it was also the only way out. If I agreed to what he wanted, I could bide my time.

  Please God, let Harrison come busting through the door and to put an end to the madness.

  “So out of interest, tell me what you want in return. Not that I’m promising anything; I’m just curious.”

  I took a few deep breaths. Holding Jamie was costing me all my energy, and mentally sparring with Daemon was exhausting. I didn’t have a right to make demands but fuck if I wasn’t going to try my best to stall him. If I had to sacrifice myself, I wanted something in return.

  I closed my eyes for a moment to gather my strength. “You spare Jamie and Cobra. You lay off the Scorpio Stingers. You and I move away from California. You guarantee that you’ll never lay a hand on my family again.”

  “Such big demands, Alessandra. You are asking me to give up on the only thing that’s kept me alive for the last few years. Do you really think you are worth all that?”

  “Yes, I am. I’m worth that and more. You can have my body. I will do anything you want. Anything.” I licked over my lips. My mouth was dry and my throat had closed so I could hardly breathe.

  “What guarantee do I have that you won’t run back to Cobra the first chance you get?”

  “The same guarantee that you will keep your word for your side of the bargain.”

  “That means nothing. No guarantee at all.”

  “Precisely. It means we’ll have to trust one another. A foreign concept to you, I’m sure.”

  He lifted a hand to strike me. I flinched, but the blow never came. Instead I heard Cobra’s voice bellow from the doorway.

  “Don’t you fucking dare hit her,” Cobra yelled. I blinked a few times to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. He stood in the doorway, a gun pointed at Daemon.

  “Step away from her, motherfucker, or I’ll blow your fucking brains out.”

  Daemon turned to Cobra and in that moment of distraction, I lifted my knee and connected with his balls. Daemon screamed, folding over, while I tried to get away from him. But he was too fast. He grabbed hold of my ankle and brought me down to the ground with him. I clutched Jamie to my chest to break his fall and twisted my body so I’d hit the floor with my hip first.

  Pain shot through my hip and leg as I hit the cold concrete. My head cracked against the hard stone, causing stars to float across my vision and a bolt of white-hot agony to shoot through my brain.

  In an instant Daemon was on top of me, the gun magically in his hand and against my temple, his breath hot and labored against my skin. Jamie sobbed, his little body shaking against mine.

  “Shoot me and she dies too,” Daemon shouted, his eyes wild. “We’ll go fuck in hell.”

  “You’re a sick fuck,” Cobra roared as he came a few steps closer.

  “Shoot him! End this fucking nightmare,” I cried. Bone tired, I’d had enough. My life flashed before my eyes and I liked most of what I saw. I’d been blessed with a good life. I’d had it all. The love of a good man—two beautiful children. An adopted family who loved me. If giving my life meant Cobra and the kids lived happily ever after, I was okay with it.

  I closed my eyes to wait for the end.

  “Hang on a fucking moment,” Daemon roared on top of me. “You made a deal with me, bitch.”

  “Do it, Cobra. Shoot him!” Inner peace washed over me.

  Dying was the easy way out. If I stayed alive and kept my side of the bargain, I’d be dead inside anyway. Everything that mattered would’ve been stripped from me. A bullet in my skull was far more merciful than what Daemon had planned for me. I knew what I’d promised him, and I knew he would extract a toll from my body that drove me to the edge of reason. I’d despise myself and wish I were dead anyway.

  Daemon rose to his feet, and grabbed Jamie from my arms. He pressed my child to him and held the gun to his little head. Mortified, I screamed so loud that I could have woken the dead from their graves.

  It was all in vain. Daemon had all the power. If he killed Jamie . . . God, please, no.

  I lay on the floor, momentarily defeated.

  “Put down the gun, pussy. See what happens when you send a woman to do a man’s job? It gets fucked up, brother.”

  Tears brimmed in my eyes as Cobra slowly leaned over to place the gun on the floor, his gaze never leaving mine as he mouthed the words sorry, baby. He hesitated for a moment, then straightened up again, leaving his weapon on the ground.

  Daemon cackled out loud like a madman. “Now you’re all going to die together and leave Isabella an orphan. I’ll adopt her—become her loving
uncle, if you know what I mean.” He wiggled both eyebrows and smacked his lips together. “I’ll train her young.”

  Bile rose in my mouth. My will to live was restored instantly when he threatened my daughter. Through all of this I’d thought she was at least safe. If I were dead, I couldn’t protect her.

  “Wait,” I pleaded. I had to try one more time. Dying like this was not an option. “Remember our agreement? I’m ready to leave with you now, Daemon. Help me up, let my son and Cobra go, and we’ll leave together.”

  Daemon’s gaze snapped to mine.

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. I promise.”

  Chapter 44 — Cobra

  Bewildered, I stared at my wife. What the fuck was she talking about?

  “No,” I shouted. “Mia’s not going anywhere with you. Let her and the boy go.” I lowered my voice, trying to sound calm and rational while my insides tore wide open. “Your beef is with me. Has been since we were born. Let’s keep everyone else out of this and settle it like real men.”

  Daemon pointed the gun at Mia. “Which one do I shoot first? Your stolen wife or your bastard son?”

  “He is your son, Daemon. The boy is yours. You can’t hurt your own child,” I said, pleading and lying in the hope it would stir something inside him.

  “Even if he is, I don’t give a fuck. He’s nothing to me.” He hit Jamie on the side of his head with the back of the gun to make his point. The boy winced and cried out in pain as he hung like a limp doll from Daemon’s arm. Anger flooded through me. What kind of monster was he to not care about someone who could be his own blood?

  I’ll make him pay for all of this.

  “She, on the other hand, is a good fuck, as you well know.”

  “Mia is my wife. Does that mean nothing to you?”

  “Yeah, it means you got there first, as usual. But now she has offered herself to me. She’ll do anything I want, she says. Christ, I can’t wait to tie her up and fuck her blind, knowing you know I’m doing it.”

  My anger turned to pure rage. I opened and closed my fists several times, itching to lay into him and knock him out cold. “I’ll die an honorable death for my family. You have nothing. You are nothing. Nobody will mourn you when you’re dead.”

  Daemon glared at me, his skin paling as my words sunk in.

  I continued my tirade. “You kill for no reason. You are filled with hatred and rage at everybody and everything. Of all my blessings in life, I’m most grateful I’m not you. There can be nothing worse than to be despised by everyone . . . loved by no one. I pity you—”

  A shot rang out, silencing me. I stumbled and sank to the ground. Pain shot from my leg to my groin and further up into my body. My own fucking brother has shot me in the leg.

  “Cobra!” Mia cried out, but before she could move Daemon shoved her backward against the wall.

  Blood spilled from the wound and cold sweat broke out on my skin from the unbearable pain. I sat up on my knees, waiting for my chance to overpower the fucker. I had to be careful; he still had Jamie and Mia in his clutches.

  “I’m the one in control here, in case you fucking forgot.” He waved the gun around between Mia and me, his finger on the trigger. Fuck. A crazy man with a loaded weapon was never a good thing.

  I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment to manage the pain, and think of a plan. Where the fuck was Ryder and the cops? Hadn’t they heard the fucking gunshot?

  “This is how it’s going to go down. I’ll spare the kids. And Alessandra will be mine.” He raised his hand and aimed the gun at my head. “You? I’m thinking you should go six feet under. There can only be one of us. We should never have been born twins.”

  I scrubbed a hand over my face. This was going from bad to worse. Mia in Daemon’s clutches would be worse than death for her. The man was a deviant monster. He knew nothing about caring for another human, and especially not someone like Mia. He’d break her fucking spirit—kill her on the inside. I couldn’t allow that to happen.

  Love is a funny thing. I didn’t care that I was bleeding. I didn’t care if I died. I’d had a good life, blessed with the best things a man could have. My worry was for those I’d leave behind.

  “You won’t get far if you try to take Mia and run. The brothers will be on your tail and hunt you down. You can shoot me, but you can’t kill the brotherhood of the Scorpio Stingers.”

  “Fuck you and fuck the club. I’ve always been the fucking black sheep . . . the odd one out. Even Ryder was embraced by Malone and placed above me. And it’s all because of you.”

  “You’re going to blame me that you have no heart? No morals and no compassion?” I pressed my palm against the wound in an attempt to stop the blood flow. There was a pool of red around my legs already, and my head was spinning from the loss of blood.

  “I’m sick of hearing how wonderful you are. I could have been pres of the club—”

  “It takes more than being a first-born to be the pres, Daemon. It takes a man who can lead his men. Malone gave it to me because I was best at that, not because I’m five fucking minutes older than you. Grow up, for fuck’s sake.”

  Another shot rang out and my shoulder exploded. The impact of the bullet knocked me onto my ass.

  “I’m going to kill you slowly. One fucking bullet at a time. You’re a self-righteous prick who thinks he’s better than me.”

  “No, God, please no. Daemon, please let’s get out of here now,” Mia cried out, rising to her feet. She stood there shivering, still wet from the rain, her nipples pushing against the fabric of her shirt. Even with the pain in her eyes and her hair plastered to her face, she was the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen. I couldn’t lose her now. I couldn’t watch her leave with Daemon.

  As if she were aware of my thoughts, she shuddered and folded her arms over her breasts. But Daemon had already seen what I saw. He dropped Jamie to the ground and shoved him to the side with his foot.

  “My baby,” she sobbed and tried to move to where Jamie lay curled into a ball.

  He grabbed Mia’s arm as she tried to get past him and pulled her against his chest. His mouth came down hard on hers, one hand on her breast, his thumb rubbing over her nipple. My head wanted to explode.

  “I’m going to enjoy fucking your wife, brother. Every day for the rest of my life while you rot in the ground. Want me to show you what I’m going to do to her?” His hand slid down her hip and cupped her pussy. His evil grin expressed how much pleasure this was giving him. Mia whimpered as she shook her head, not meeting my gaze.

  Fuck this.

  Game’s over.

  I’m killing him with my bare fucking hands.

  Mia was everything to me. Everything. This was not happening.

  I pushed to my feet. Fucker was going down.

  Moving three steps toward the man, I stopped in my tracks, staring into the barrel of his gun, inches from my face. It smelled of death.

  Demon’s face was twisted and evil, his eyes glowing with madness. This was it—my final moment.

  Chapter 45 — Mia

  I’d been to hell and back during the last few weeks, worrying about my boy. I’d watched my husband drift from me, and the distance between us widen with every passing day. I’d lulled my baby girl to sleep, wondering if my son was alive or dead.

  I’d endured all the bullshit Daemon could throw at me. I’d watched as he shot the only man I’d ever wanted. I’d listened as he told me he didn’t care about my son.

  I’d had enough.

  Enough.

  Reaching behind my back, I pulled out the gun I’d hidden there. The gun I’d sworn not to use until there were absolutely no other options.

  Daemon was a time bomb and Cobra had seconds to live.

  I had no other choice.

  Pulling the trigger, I watched as the man’s head exploded and his knees folded under him as he sank to the floor in what seemed like slow motion.

  Cobra’s eyes were wide. Horrified. Waiting for death. His eyes
closed and he sank to the floor.

  My heart slammed into my ribs. I stopped breathing.

  Has he been shot? Oh God, no. No. No. No.

  My blood ran cold. I was too late. Too late to save my one true love.

  Blackness stole over me as my knees buckled and I felt myself falling . . . falling . . . falling.

  Chapter 46 — Cobra

  I wasn’t dead. I felt myself float as if I’d left my body, yet I knew I was still of this world. Mia. Jamie. Were they okay?

  “Cobra. Pres. Are you okay?” Ryder’s voice called out to me.

  Holding my head, I slowly opened my eyes. My vision blurred, but I could only just make out Ryder’s worried face as he leaned over me.

  “Fine fucking mess you made here.” Summers growled but I couldn’t see his face.

  “Mia . . . and Jamie. Are they okay?” I croaked.

  “They’re both fine.”

  “I want to see them,” I said, trying to sit up. Ryder pushed down on the shoulder that didn’t have a bullet in it.

  “The paramedics are looking after them. I promise they are both okay.”

  “Daemon?”

  Ryder shrugged. “Afraid I put a bullet through his skull.”

  “You shot him? I thought—”

  “Mia took a shot at him too, yes, but it was my bullet that put the hole in his fucking skull. He was gonna kill you.”

  “How? Where?” I asked, totally confused.

  “I heard the first shot ring out and I jumped out of the SUV. Savage screamed at me to get back in. Then the second shot rang out, so I ran ’round the back, in the direction the sound had come from. I got to the window and watched Daemon’s finger curl around the fucking trigger. I shot him through the window.”

  Incredulous, I turned my head to look. Glass was scattered all over the floor. “Oh, my bullet only made a small hole. I had to smash the fucking glass to jump through.” Ryder rubbed his shoulder. “My shoulder ain’t as sore as yours, but that fucking glass was hard to break through.”