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“You sure he was dead?”

  I nodded. “Hole right between his eyes.” I’d only ever killed one other person while on duty as a DEA agent, and it had taken me a long time to deal with it. This time it was like taking out enemies in a video game. After what Bent for Hell had done to Dex, I was ready to blow all their heads off. It had taken a lot of restraint not to take out more of them, and by the look on Dreygon’s face, it had been a good thing too.

  Dreygon stared down at the ground in thought. I never knew how the man was going to react. The night before I was sure I was going to be beaten into a bloody pulp for messing up his arranged marriage plans. Instead he’d congratulated me. Then without warning he pounded me for calling him crazy old man.

  Dreygon brushed his hair back with his fingers. “I’ll let the club know to be on alert. In the meantime, no one enters or leaves this place. We’re on lockdown until things calm down. Gracie has breakfast ready, so eat up. We were going to make a supply run today, but now we’ll have to live on what’s left in the kitchen.” With that, he strode away.

  I headed to the kitchen. Angel was standing on the front porch wearing a faded army green t-shirt, jean cut-offs and her black army boots. She was flanked on each side by the pit bulls. Everything about her was such an inconsistency. The gritty edge of her second-hand clothing couldn’t hide the delicate, gossamer beauty beneath. Just looking at her made the blood course through my veins.

  I climbed the steps and put my arms around her. “Shit, what’s that phrase? Sight for sore eyes?” I breathed in her citrusy fresh scent. “In fact, you are good for every sense, not just my eyes.” I kissed her forehead.

  “What happened?” she asked. “My grandfather looked worried.”

  I didn’t answer at first.

  “Luke?”

  “We were ambushed by Bent for Hell, but everyone made it back. So we’re good. She would hear soon enough that we were on lockdown and the reason why, but it wasn’t something I wanted to tell her. She’d grown up in this wild, lawless world and little shocked her, but I wasn’t anxious for her to know that I’d taken another man’s life.

  She reached up and pressed her palm against my face. “You look really tired, Reno,” she said quietly. Her eyes looked glassy as she continued. “I should have put some ice on your head and back last night.” There was a waver in her voice. “I should have at least given you an aspirin or something. I feel so terrible.”

  I took her wrist and pressed her palm against my mouth. “I let you down, Angel. I’m sorry.”

  She shook her head. “No, it was my grandfather who let me down, and I’m getting really tired of it too.” She took my hand and led me inside.

  The aroma of pancakes and maple syrup made my mouth water. “Just remembered— I’m starving.”

  I sat at the counter. “Where’s Gracie?”

  Angel focused on her task of filling a plate with pancakes. “She’s got a headache again. My grandfather has to take her to the doctor today or I’m going to ask one of the guys to drive us into town.” She slid the plate across to me and immediately caught the look on my face. “What’s wrong? Not enough syrup?”

  “No, the syrup is fine. I don’t think you’ll be able to take her to the doctor today.”

  “I know he’s a stubborn old man, but I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve.”

  The screen door swung open. Jericho and Gunner walked inside. “Hell yeah, you must have been reading my mind, Evie. I was just thinking pancakes and syrup.”

  “Then it was Gracie reading your mind. She decided on pancakes.” Angel forked another stack of pancakes onto two plates and passed them across the counter.

  Jericho pulled up the stool next to me. “Hell of a morning, eh, Reno? Shit, if I was ever in a bomber plane or in an army tank, I sure as hell would want you on the guns.”

  Angel looked puzzled. “Why is that?” she asked the question to Jericho but looked at me for an answer. Gunner supplied her with it.

  “Your boy shot down one of the Bent for Hell crew.” He added sound effects as he pressed a finger to his forehead. “Dreygon has us on lockdown.”

  Angel turned to me.

  “I was about to tell you.”

  She sat down. “Shit, I’ve got to get Gracie to a doctor.”

  “Yeah, that ain’t gonna happen,” Gunner muttered over a mouthful of pancake.

  “I’m sure we won’t be stuck here for long. Dreygon will probably work some deal with Griffin,” Jericho said.

  “Yeah, a life for a life,” Gunner said with a grim laugh. He pointed his fork at me. “Guess that would be you.” He laughed again.

  “Oh, shut the hell up and finish your breakfast,” Angel said. “I’ve been stuck in here all morning and I want to clean up and be done.”

  Jericho and Gunner sucked down their breakfasts. I stayed behind to help Angel clean up. She’d been quiet the rest of the meal. “Is that the first time you’ve ever killed someone?” she asked over the running faucet water.

  It was a question I should have expected but it still caught me off guard. She sensed my apprehension to answer.

  “Sorry, I should have known better than to ask that after what you went through with your best friend.”

  “This wasn’t the first time,” I said. And that answer seemed to be enough for her.

  She continued washing the dishes but didn’t ask anything more. Sometimes I could read her face but today there was such a mix of emotions that I had no idea what she was thinking, except that she was very worried about her aunt. I picked up a towel to dry the dishes, but she took it from my hand. “You look so tired. Go get some rest.”

  “I need to take a shower first. Are you sure you don’t want me to stay and help.”

  “I’m sure.”

  I stood there for a second. Her silence was killing me. “Angel—”

  She put down the towel. “I’m not upset about what you did. You were doing what my grandfather asked of you. And I’m the one that dragged you into this.”

  “Stop saying that. You saved my life. This was all meant to be, remember? You and me were meant to be.”

  “Just don’t judge me by what goes on in this place. Sometimes I feel like I don’t really exist, like I’m just a shadow that got trapped within the ugly walls.”

  I took her hand. “As far as I’m concerned you’re the only thing that is real.” There were moments like this one when I contemplated telling her the truth, my truth. I’d convinced myself that her aversion to Dreygon’s lifestyle would lessen the impact. But I wasn’t ready. I knew I was being a fucking coward. I’d replayed the major confession in my head more than once. If we managed to earn some freedom, I planned to tell her long before we hit the main road. That way she still had a choice. It would destroy me but I would let her know first in case she wanted to turn back.

  She leaned against my chest. “I’m just worried about my aunt.” A smile tilted her lips. “I guess if we’re locked in then we’ll just have to make the best of it, like two lovers being snowed in at a remote mountain cabin.”

  “Now that’s what I call finding the positive in a bad situation.”

  Chapter 9

  Angel

  Five days was long for Chance. The horse had pent up energy, which made cleaning his pen a little precarious. As usual, he followed me around as I mucked up after him, but instead of plodding behind with heavy feet, he trotted and occasionally reared up.

  “Shit, I’m standing watch out here to make sure there are no snipers in the wilderness, but I’m beginning to think I should be in there,” Luke said. “That horse looks like he’s about to explode.”

  “He just needs to get out. If I could just take him out there in the meadow and trot him around—”

  Luke shook his head before I could finish my suggestion.

  “You’d be like a sitting duck up there on that giant horse.” He turned and surveyed the surrounding landscape. There were plenty of trees and shrubs to hide anyone who might be out ther
e. My grandfather had been unable to talk to Griffin since the incident. They were actually old friends who’d started out in the Hell club together as twenty year olds. Grandpa never talked about it much, but it seemed the two of them had done some pretty wild things together. Eventually, Grandpa went off on his own, and since then Griffin had always considered him a traitor. But they still had the mutual bond of being members of an outlaw club.

  Several chickens squawked and fluttered their wings at each other, startling Chance. He kicked up and swirled his head around like a giant wrecking ball. I waved my arms to push him back.

  “That’s it,” Luke said. He climbed into the pen and stood between Chance and me. He put the pistol in his waistband, held his arms up and waved Chance back farther. The horse wasn’t thrilled about having him in the pen, but I was able to finish up without getting a hoof print on my head.

  We climbed out. “You’re pretty brave, Reno. I don’t know anyone else who would have climbed in there with Chance when he’s in that wild stallion mood.”

  “You were in there,” he reminded me.

  “Otherwise, there would be a mountain of shit. I’m just glad I have a month’s supply of hay. Don’t know what I’ll do if this lockdown goes on much longer.”

  “Well,” he said suggestively, “at least we haven’t been too bored.” He reached out to grab me, but I backed away.

  “I’m not hugging you with that gun in your pants.” I leaned over and kissed him without our bodies touching. “Even though you look dangerously sexy when you’re holding that thing.”

  “Yeah?” He reached across and ran his finger along the top of my tank top. Just that small touch sent shockwaves through me, and instantly my knees weakened. We’d been having sex morning, noon and night, and yet all I could think about was having more.

  “We should probably go start the afternoon’s entertainment,” he suggested.

  I took his hand. “As I’ve told you before, Reno, you never have to ask twice.”

  The yard was quiet as we walked through it to my cabin. Cash and Max had been using the long stretch of lockdown to catch up on motorcycle maintenance. Their voices and the clanging of metal rolled out of the garage. Candy and Rose spent most of their time smoking pot and watching soap operas, and I was pretty sure they were keeping Jericho entertained in between episodes. I’d hardly seen my grandfather, and I considered that a blessing. I’d managed to keep Gracie’s blood pressure a bit lower by making her rest in a dark room for several hours a day. I’d taken over most of the kitchen duties, but there was little to do. After a long summer of eating berries the bushes were empty, and the few vegetables I’d managed to grow in the dry climate were finished too. We were getting down to eggs, of which we had an endless supply.

  We stepped inside the cabin. Luke walked over and put the gun on my dresser and reached in for a condom. “Holy shit, our supply is low.”

  I laughed. “There are several large boxes full of condoms in the warehouse where they keep the black market supply of over the counter stuff. We might run out of food, but we’ll be able to fuck all we want.”

  “And I’m completely fine with that.” He walked over and pulled my shirt off over my head. Then with a flick of his fingers, he’d removed my bra.

  “You are remarkably talented at taking off bras,” I said.

  “I’ve had a bit of practice, I guess.” I reached for his pants but he stopped me. He unzipped my shorts and they dropped around my boots. My panties slid down with them.

  I leaned down to unlace my boots.

  He shook his head again. “I love those damn boots. Leave them on.”

  “They smell like horse shit.”

  “True. But leave them on anyway.”

  I held his arm for support while I shimmied my shorts and panties off over the boots.

  He walked over, sat on the bed and gazed at me. I was completely naked except for my worn black ankle boots. My nipples hardened, and heat pulsed between my legs as he stared hungrily at me.

  “Wish I had a fucking camera,” the low, gritty tone of his voice was one I knew well.

  I held my arms out. “So, you like what you see?” I turned around slowly and wiggled my ass a bit. By the time I’d turned back around, he’d pushed his shoes and pants off. He leaned back on my bed. I bent down to unlace the boots.

  “Leave them,” he commanded.

  He stared up at me with dark, glassy eyes as I threw my leg over and straddled him. His hard cock pressed against my pussy. I leaned over and kissed him. He reached for me but this time I stopped him. I took hold of both of his wrists and placed his hands next to his head. “This time you’re my captive, and I’m running the show . . .in my big, black horse shit smelling boots.”

  I scooted back and pushed his t-shirt up to expose the muscular ridges of his stomach and chest. I ran my tongue along his skin. He lifted his hand to touch me. I reached over and pressed it back down on the mattress. I shook my finger at him. “Don’t make me get the bandana.”

  He smiled, lowered his head back and closed his eyes. I dragged my tongue over his abdomen to the dark path of hair leading to his thick, hard cock. I pushed his legs apart and knelt between them. I cupped his balls with one hand and took his cock in the other. He groaned as my fingers wrapped tightly around him. Another deep sound rolled from his throat as my mouth covered the glistening tip of his erection. My hand moved up and down the long shaft as my tongue played with the tip. I moved my mouth down over him, and he pushed farther into my throat. I teased his cock with my mouth and my hand.

  “God, Angel, your mouth is like fucking heaven.”

  The solid, hot feel of him in my hands coupled with the rough, urgent sound of his voice made me moist with desire. I brought him close to the edge, but my own greed kept me from finishing. I wanted him between my legs. His body tensed as I drew my mouth and hand away, and he looked up at me with an unfocused gaze. I pushed the condom on and climbed over him. I pressed my palms down over his hands as I slid down over his cock. The second I released him, he reached down and grabbed my ass. He pulled me down harder over him. We moved against each other. His fingers pressed into my flesh, and my pussy splintered into a million pieces as he thrust harder into me. He held me tightly over him as we climaxed together.

  I dropped down next to him and he pulled me into his arms. “Gee, that just never gets old,” I said.

  His deep laugh bounced off the walls. “Every time feels like the first time. Oh wait, that’s not true. The first time was in a girl’s old playhouse, and it wasn’t all that great.”

  I looked up at him. “Holy shit, how old were you?”

  “I was fifteen and she was seventeen. I’d ridden over on my skateboard to see her. We were hanging out in her backyard, talking and flirting. Her old playhouse was sitting there in the corner of the yard beneath a giant avocado tree. Just seemed as good a place as any. Especially because her mom was inside cooking dinner. She might have noticed if we’d gone at it on the back lawn. It was pretty cramped quarters and it smelled like melted crayons. My naked ass landed right on her doll tea set. Smashed the hell out of the tea cups and ended up with a circle shaped cut on my butt cheek. But even under those harrowing conditions, it was worth it. At least to me.”

  I lowered my head to his shoulder. “A fifteen year old virgin? How long— ten seconds?”

  “Maybe five? She was pretty disappointed, but I walked out of that Strawberry Shortcake playhouse like a fucking rooster on steroids.”

  I laughed and snuggled against him. There were so many moments like this in our days, moments where it was easy to believe that nothing else existed outside of the cozy walls of my cabin. I closed my eyes. “Wonder what time it is,” I said sleepily. Then my eyes popped open. “I don’t smell anything.”

  “Thanks,” Luke said, “good to know.”

  “No, I mean it seems like Gracie should have started up the griddles already.” I got up and plucked my shorts off the ground. He propped up
an elbow and watched me dress. Even that simple gesture stirred me. “Sometimes Gracie sleeps deeply. I’m glad she’s been resting so much. I’ll go prod her awake.” I finished dressing and smiled down at the boots that were already on my feet. “That’s convenient. So— scrambled, fried or sunny side up?”

  Luke groaned and rolled down onto his back. “I just wish those fucking chickens were laying cheeseburgers instead of eggs.”

  Chapter 10

  Luke

  I pulled on my jeans and shoes. Angel disappeared into the kitchen as I stepped out onto her porch. Jericho was heading across the yard, looking as if he was bursting with information. I hoped it had to do with some kind of truce and an end to the compound’s lockdown. Angel was anxious to get her aunt to a doctor. And since the whole lockdown had been my fault, I felt doubly crappy about it.

  “Where’s Angel?” Jericho looked past me as if he expected her to step out behind me.

  “She went over to wake Gracie from her nap. What’s up?”

  “All kinds of heavy shit going down.”

  “Yeah?” I walked down the steps. “Did Dreygon finally reach the Bent for Hell president? What the hell’s his name?” I still tried my best to look completely novice in the MC world.

  “Griffin. And there’s a reason Dreygon hasn’t been able to contact him. It’s the same reason we haven’t seen any form of retaliation. Some of our members in Reno said a few of the Bent for Hell crew got taken in for questioning. And you’ll never guess for what.”

  I shrugged. “Drugs?”

  “Nope. They found the remains of a narc, a DEA agent somewhere near Tahoe.”

  Behind these walls, I’d perfected my ‘whatever’ expression, but the wind had been knocked from me and it took me a second to compose myself.

  “I know, big stuff, huh?” Jericho took my change in demeanor as a ‘wow that’s unbelievable’ reaction.

  “Yeah, big stuff,” the words barely cracked out of my throat, but Jericho was no longer paying attention to me. He stared over my shoulder at something behind me. His brow creased. “What the hell is wrong with Evie?”