“Don’t come back dead,” he tells me then and it’s the first time my father has ever admitted to love, or something like it.
“I don’t plan to,” I chuckle darkly, hoping that he’ll be okay even if I don’t make it home. As much as I want to be confident that I’ll kill this Colombian fucker, deep down, we can never know our fate.
12
Syren
My head and heart are aching. I don’t know what’s going to happen. Fear is the only thing I feel right now. Every time I look at Shadow, I can see the agony in his gaze. We’re not far from home. It’s going to be another fifteen minutes before we reach the compound.
I’ve never been so scared in all my life. My father’s job, if you can call it that, has never been easy. Violence is part of this life, but knowing he’s in immediate danger, that there’s a man who’s in the same room as him that could easily kill him only makes this so much scarier than ever before.
It’s stupid. But as much as I try, I can’t push it to the back of my mind. Stryker slows down as we reach the high, heavy wrought iron gates of the compound. As they slide open, we’re led into my home by men with guns. Men in suits, men that don’t belong here and my anger grips me, burning through my veins.
“Listen to me, Syren,” Shadow leans in close to whisper in my ear. “I want you safe. You stay in this car no matter what you hear or see. Am I understood?” When my gaze lands on his, there’s determination burning in those hazel green depths. The green more prominent, making his eyes shine like the leaves as they turn from summer to autumn.
“Yes,” I mumble. My lower lip trembles as I try not to cry, and my eyes burn with unshed tears that are threatening to spill.
He reaches for my face, cupping my cheek in his large, inked hand, and he offers a reassuring smile that I’m certain he’s faking because the truth of his fear is right there in the depths of his gaze.
“Don’t die.” I don’t know why the words tumble from my lips, but they do. My emotions got the better of me because it’s almost as if I’m admitting to caring about him. I can’t admit that. Can I?
He doesn’t respond, he doesn’t even nod when he pushes open the door of the car and leaves me alone in the backseat. I try to count the number of leather cuts I see, but I can’t. They’re a blur because the tears I’ve been holding back finally spill free.
Stryker’s gone, having locked me in the SUV. The suited men stand around the outside of my home, but they have no interest in me. They’re on guard, watching as Shadow nears them.
His swagger is as confident as if he were walking into a nightclub, not into the prison that was once my home. I want to call Kali, to see if she’s okay, but I can’t move. My body is cold and rigid.
Please, don’t hurt them. Please don’t let anything happen to any of the men I care for.
It’s all I can do to keep from going mad.
13
Shadow
As soon as I step into the house, I feel it — tension. It hangs in the air heavily, breathing like a living being. The men surround me, Talon, and Blade with guns in their hands, but I don’t look at them. My focus is in front of me as I head toward the office, where I’m sure Trigger is being held.
I don’t see Beast anywhere, and that worries me. If they took him out, then that only leaves a handful of good fighters. Even though my men are here, they’re kept outside.
“Mr. Hawke.” The man’s voice is dripping with satisfaction, and as I step inside the office I can tell from his expression he is pleased with himself. I’m flanked by my best friend and my brother. It should give him pause, but it doesn’t. “Please, have a seat.”
Trigger is in his office chair, the same one Syren was sitting in yesterday. He doesn’t look hurt, which I’m grateful for. My gaze darts around the room, taking in the two men on either side of Marques’s brother.
“So, do I get to know who I’m about to kill, or are you too shy to tell me your name?” I play the cocky card because it’s the only one that will hide my fear. I’m not scared for myself, I’m fearful of something happening to Trigger and I won’t have any way to stop it.
I may not have promised Syren I’ll bring him out alive, but I did tell her I’d do everything I can.
“Enrique,” he tells me. “I’m the man who will soon be importing and exporting through Miami. I deal in everything there is that makes money.” He doesn’t specify what he’s talking about, but I know. The violence that he brings to the States is nothing short of atrocious.
I always thought Marques was the villain, but it seems like his brother is the one that deserves to die.
“So, you allowed your brother to take a hit for you?”
“Siblings are there for one reason only,” he tells me, pulling out a packet of cigarettes, and tapping one out. He flips his Zippo, the silver glinting under the light and the flame dances with ominous promise.
“And that reason?” I ask because it doesn’t look like he’s about to tell me anything. He pulls on the smoke, inhaling the nicotine before he settles in one of the wingback chairs that overlooks the office.
“They’re there to take the bullet for you because they love you. Family is there to be your scapegoat because if they’re not, you’re the one who dies.”
“Your kind of thinkin’ is fucked up.”
“Is it?” he challenges. “Because if you were to be put in the line of fire, do you think any of your brothers here would take that bullet for you?” He waves his hand, his index and middle finger holding onto the cigarette as he points it at me, Talon, and Blade.
“We would all take the fall for any of our brothers,” I tell him confidently because I know the men who have my back. And they know me. We would die for each other, and that’s what makes us family. Not the blood in our veins, but the blood on our hands.
I take a step forward, moving toward the other chair that’s situated opposite to where Enrique is sitting.
“Shadow,” Trigger calls to me, dragging my attention to him for a moment. He doesn’t say anything, he doesn’t vocalize her name, but I know what he’s asking. He needs to know she’s safe. I offer a swift nod, before turning my gaze to the man opposite me.
“Why did you want me here?”
“There’s something of yours I want before I’ll allow all of you to walk away,” he tells me with a smile. Darkness dances in his eyes, pure violence, as if he was made from it.
“What do you want?” I’m not sure what he can be referring to. I don’t own the club. The only thing I do have which is of value is the bike I rode in on. But even then, he’ll kill me before he takes my sweet girl.
“The girl,” he finally speaks after he blows out a lungful of air. My brows furrow in confusion. Surely, he doesn’t think that Syren is mine to barter with? “I want the princess, and you keep everything else.”
Leaning back in the chair, I cross my arms in front of my chest and pin him with a narrowed stare. “Why do you think she belongs to me?”
Another smile. He knows something I don’t. His dark eyes scan the room, then they land on Trigger. I follow his stare and look at the older man for any explanation as to what the fuck is going on.
“Trigger? I don’t understand.”
“Shadow,” the old man says, leaning his elbows on his desk. “I’ve always been honest with my men, but there was one thing I never told anyone. And I made a mistake by not telling the truth. Your father will know all of this because he was there for me when I fucked up.”
“Ah, the sad, sad story,” Enrique chuckles darkly as he stubs out his smoke in the ashtray. I watch the cherry turn black before I meet Trigger’s blue eyes. They remind me of Syren’s, deep and endless. But in his, there’s guilt that burns in them.
“What do you mean?”
“Syren is yours, Shadow,” he tells me. The confusion is etched on my face as I furrow my brows at him. He must be drunk or fucking high because she’s not mine. I mean, I don’t own her. She’s not some possession t
o be bartered with.
How can he do something like this?
“Mine? What? Is she a fuckin’ toy you can throw around when it suits you?” Anger laces my words and courses through my veins. My hands fist and release as I think about her own father giving her up.
“No. She’s not. Listen to me, Shadow. It was a long time ago. Your father and I came to a decision. It wasn’t meant to turn out like this, but . . .” his words fail him, and I feel like killing him myself.
“I don’t want anythin’ to do with this old, archaic fuckin’ agreement,” I bite out as venom drips from my words.
“You will if you ever want Amelia back,” Enrique says, suddenly stilling my movement to rise from the chair.
“Where the fuck is she?” The argument with Trigger is forgotten when I look to Enrique. “If you’ve hurt her in any way, I’ll gut you like the spineless prick you are.”
A laugh booms from his mouth as if he knows something I don’t. “You know, she’s a beautiful woman. Did she ever tell you about the time me and her spent in Capri?” Confusion clouds my vision, my mind awash with refusal, but when I look at the man who’s talking about the first woman I ever loved, I realize it’s true.
“Where is she, Enrique?”
“She’s at home where she belongs. You see,” he says, rising from his chair. “She was married to my brother for two long years before she ran. Before she found a filthy biker to fuck around with. The whore will pay . . . unless you bring me the biker princess.”
The moment I push from my chair is when all hell breaks loose. Two men grab my arms, holding me in place as I hear metal against bone, and turn to find Talon on the ground, bleeding from the back of his head.
Blade spins on his heel to be met with the butt of a gun against his nose. A deep growl from his chest tells me he’s not going down easy. I’m dragged out of the office, and as much as I try to fight the assholes holding me, I can’t get a punch or a kick in anywhere.
They planned this and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. I’ve never felt so helpless before. I’m dragged out onto the gravel of the entrance way, and as much as I want to turn to Syren, I don’t. If she sees the panic in my eyes, she’ll worry.
I follow them willingly until we’re close to the silver Mercedes Benz SUV that’s parked near the door. Trigger and Enrique walk out together, as if they’re old friends, but it’s a ruse.
“Let me go, Enrique,” I speak calmly, meeting his amused stare. “Let me go and we can talk inside.”
“No. The meeting is over. You know what I want, and you will deliver it.”
Like fuck I will.
“What makes you think I’m goin’ to do anything you say? You can shoot me right here and now and you’ll still never get me to obey,” I taunt him, tugging free from his thugs who join him as they back up toward the silver car.
He reaches behind him, and pulls out a sleek, silver 9mm which looks custom made. Of course, it is, this asshole has more money than God.
“No. Why would I kill the man who’s going to deliver my new slave,” he grins.
My eyes zoom in on his hand, on his finger, and that’s when I notice the slight movement. He’s about to pull the trigger and the gun is aimed at Syren’s father. The man she loves, the man she believes in. She doesn’t know what he’s done to her life, given her away like a fucking possession. And I will die before I allow her to find out like this.
The moment the sound ricochets, I’m torn between saving the man, or allowing him to die. In that second, my mind flits to the woman whose wide blue eyes and pouty lips have pulled me into her orbit.
She’s mine.
I leap forward, shielding the older man from the steel bullet about to hit him square in the chest. The moment I’m in position, I feel heavy hands shoving me down, and hit the ground with a thud.
All I feel is pain.
All I hear is screaming.
All I see is the dust from a silver Mercedes Benz SUV.
And all I’m left with is the memory of knowing Amelia fucked me over, and now I have Syren to protect.
14
Syren
I don’t remember much of what happened yesterday. Perhaps the mourning process is where I block out the pain and violence of watching my father get shot. Maybe it’s because I know he saved Shadow.
When I saw him go down, I flew from the car not caring if I got shot as well. I couldn’t sit back and leave him to die alone. I held his hand. He smiled up at me, told me to promise him one thing — always trust in Draven Hawke.
I’m not sure what he meant by that, or why he would say something like that. And I haven’t had the courage to ask Shadow what Dad meant. I think it’s because I’m scared that he’ll tell me it was all meant to be. I was supposed to meet Shadow and fate would keep us safe.
It’s stupid, really. A life like ours doesn’t include fairytales and happily-ever-afters. There’s blood and violence, there’s death and destruction, but rainbows fail to grace us with their presence.
So, here I sit, with Shadow holding me in front of a large fire pit. We didn’t leave the compound and head to Arizona and for that, I’m thankful even though I can still smell the blood in the air.
Instead of a birthday party, we’re having a wake.
“I should go. Leave you to it. I mean, I’ll be in one of the outhouses, but I can’t stay in the house with you,” Shadow says in the orange-lit night. I can’t remember what I said to him, but he’s responding to whatever it was.
“It’s my birthday and my father is dead, please, Shadow. Stay with me,” I plead with him as the tears fall from my eyes. I wanted to remain strong, but the agony that’s got a hold of me is far too painful to hide.
Everyone is in a somber mood as the low rumble of rock music emits from the speakers. The whole clubhouse is in mourning. We lost ten men, including my father, who was my life.
I watched as Shadow leapt in front of him as the gunshot rang out, but Dad being Dad shoved Shadow out of the way and took the hit. He saved Shadow’s life by giving his own.
“I know, Princess,” he tells me before handing me the tumbler that’s half-filled with strong amber liquid that sloshes when I take it and slowly sip the fiery alcohol. It burns my throat, causing me to choke and cough a lung up, but as soon as I can breathe again, I take another mouthful.
I lost my mother years ago, and now, I no longer have a father. I’m an orphan. And even though I know I have the support of the club behind me, that they’re my family, none of them are blood relations.
“Can I have more? Please, Shadow?” I really do sound whiny, but he’s got me right where he wants me. And I have him right where I need him, with his heavy arm draped across my shoulders. He hasn’t made a move to touch me in any way, but he’s offering me comfort in the safest way possible — fully clothed.
His deep hazel green eyes glow with restrained hunger when my tongue darts out to wet my lips, desire swirling in the depths like a flame dancing in the breeze. He shakes his head in response to perhaps my plea or my tipsy need to forget for one night that I’m all alone.
Would I let him take my virginity?
Why am I thinking this right now?
Shaking my head, I push to stand and almost topple over as my head spins. I haven’t eaten, refused any food, and the whiskey I just swallowed seems to have taken hold of me.
“You need rest,” Shadow says as he grips my hips with a hold so fierce and possessive, my whole body responds to his touch. Sparks turn me inside out, my core pulses wildly at the nearness of him, but I know he won’t do anything more than put me to bed.
Nodding, I smile sadly. “Yes, I’m tired.” My eyes are droopy from the tears and whiskey. A mix of sadness and anger at my life takes hold of me as Shadow walks me into the house past all the people who are still awake, drinking their sorrows away.
I know every person here is hurting. My dad was like a father to each of them, but it’s only when my eyes land on Beast do I se
e pure, unadulterated agony. They were like brothers, closer than that even.
He looks at me, eyes bloodshot, and tips his bottle toward me before Shadow scoops me up into his arms and walks me up the stairs to my bedroom. I don’t ask him how he knows where it is.
With gentleness I didn’t think he possessed, he sets me on the mattress and straightens to full height. Suddenly, my heart aches in my chest and my hand shoots out to grab his.
“Please stay for a while?”
He looks like a man battling right from wrong. After a long while, he nods and settles on the mattress beside me. He scoots up, his back against the headboard. He looks so strange in my bed.
“Do you ever wonder what would happen if you were suddenly thrust into the role of President?” It’s my way of asking if he were to lose his father what he would do. Because right now, I know I’ll have to make a choice. Do I leave the club in the hands of Beast and go to college? Or do I stay and learn the ropes from Daddy’s best friend?
“Every day,” Shadow finally responds, breaking my thoughts and catching my attention. “But then I remember that I was born for this. All my life, my father prepared me to step into his shoes, even though I know I can never fill them.”
“Why wouldn’t you?”
“I’m not the man he is, not yet anyway.” I can understand what he means. He’s young, not as young as I am, but he has his whole life ahead of him. Tears brim my lashes when I think, but that could end at any time.
“Death seems so far away sometimes, but it’s not. You could walk out of this house and get struck down.”
There’s a soft sigh from beside me, but I don’t look at him. I know he knows what I mean. This is a strange conversation, he’s so close I can smell the cigarettes and whiskey on him, but I can also smell the leather and spice of his cologne.
Twisted Steel: An MC Romance Anthology Page 32
