CHAPTER ONE

– HAYDEN –

This shit is fucked-up. Adrenaline is spiking and I’m itching to get out of here and do something. We’re still discussing our options, though there aren’t many and time is ticking away. It’s been almost an hour since they kidnapped our mother from the bathroom of the hospital.

Lyla notified us a few minutes ago about a message left on the tattoo shop’s answering machine. We listened to it and heard the demand for a trade. They want Kent and Dee in return for our mother. Time and place where the trade will take place was mentioned along with it.

I don’t fucking get what’s there to discuss. We need to act now so I’m trying to reason with Heath. We’re still standing in the waiting room of the hospital. Our club brothers are surrounding us while my twin leans in close so I can tell him about my plan. The only plan that might work within the timeframe we’ve been given.

Throwing my arm back, I point at Dee, her sister Bran is standing right next to her. They’re identical twins like me and Heath. Heath releases a deep sigh in defeat, and finally he gives a slight inclination of his head indicating he’s agreeing with my plan.

Relief hits me. “I think it’s best if it seems I’m taking her by force, letting Bran and the others think we’re trading her. I read the file Archer gave me where it clearly states Dee becomes a perfectly crafted fighter under extreme pressure. Survival instinct and anger are a trigger to sharpen her abilities, it’s why she participated in underground fighting. She’s exactly the kind of person I need when they only want one of us to deliver Kent and Dee. Deanna is my old lady, Heath. She can handle herself and this situation, fucking trust me on this.”

The woman is a spitfire and I’m pretty sure the whole ‘crafted fighter under extreme pressure’ is shit she hides behind, because in my opinion everyone has a little rage inside them. Some more than others, like me. My temper can spike from zero to a billion in the blink of an eye, and she’s like me when it comes to anger issues. The underground fighting is an outlet, it’s also why Heath and I fight one another, and others in the ring; to blow off steam.

“Shit, they’re making a run for it,” Heath hisses and we quickly move as a unit to block the exit.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Heath grunts.

“Bathroom.” Bran gives him a challenging smile while her whole face screams she’s lying straight through her teeth.

Heath narrows his eyes. “Not happening. We agreed not to run and stand strong together, remember?”

“Standing strong together? You’re talking about you and your brother, right? Because I can tell by the look in both your eyes that you’re willing to sacrifice my sister,” Bran fires back in a condemning tone.

“Now,” I grit and lunge for Dee.

Heath grabs Bran’s hands, two other brothers are helping him contain her while I catch the woman I claimed by the throat.

“You and I have one chance to work together to fix this shit. Give me a fucking chance like your twin gave one to mine,” I quickly tell her.

“Give me one good reason to trust you,” she grits through clenched teeth.

Easy enough. “To keep Bran safe once and for all.”

Her gaze burns into mine and she instantly nods.

“Knock out,” I whisper and pull my arm back to bring it forward and graze her chin with my fist.

Her head whips back and her body goes slack as she plays along, making it easy for me to throw her over my shoulder and walk out of the hospital room. We ignore Bran’s screams and curses. Once we’re out the door I put her back on her feet, grab her wrist and quickly head for my bike.

“They want you and Kent. We’re going to pick up that fucker and throw him in the trunk of one of the club cars.” I throw my leg over the bike and wait for her to get on. “What’s your weapon of choice?”

“My fists, knives, guns, our father taught us to fight with any weapon and use our bodies as one,” she easily supplies while keeping rooted to the ground.

“I’ll give you a knife and a gun later, when you get into the trunk of the car with Kent. I’m trusting you to fight with me because we don’t have backup. We only have each other to save my mother, so I’m fucking counting on you,” I grit. “Now get the fuck on because we’re wasting precious minutes.”

Thank fuck she jumps on, and I hit the road. Time is ticking away and I have no clue if we have eyes on us or not. Risky with her warming my back, ’cause she’s vulnerable in case we run into any Tar Lines fuckers.

My chest tightens when I ride onto club property and see the front of the clubhouse in ruins. It’s another reminder to end this shit fast. That bomb could have done more damage and could have taken more lives than only Pierce. Losing him was bad enough.

I come to a stop and hold my hand up to help Dee get to her feet. Hitting the kickstand, I swing my leg off the bike and reach for Dee’s hand again. Picking up my pace, we rush around the building to where we’re holding Kent. First stop isn’t getting Kent though, it’s to weapon up. I open a small safe and offer a knife in a sheath to Deanna.

“Strap that one on your ankle,” I tell her and hold out a small handgun. “Tuck this one somewhere you can easily reach, but keep it out of sight. I’ll have to make it seem as if your hands are bound, though.”

There’s still suspicion written all over her face and her voice is weary when she asks, “Why are you doing this?”

I cross my arms in front of my chest and simply sum things up. “They took my mother, they called and demanded a trade with only one of us making the delivery otherwise they would kill her. I read your file. You’re an underground fighter. At least, you were when your father was still alive. You know how to handle weapons, so I told Heath me and my old lady could bring our mother home. You’re my secret weapon to end this and bring my ma home safely. Don’t let me down ’cause I vouched for you.”

“Fine,” she huffs and straps the weapons to her body.

She starts to shove her hands under her shirt and… “What the fuck are you doing?”

Deanna gives me a smirk. “Hold out your hand.”

I narrow my eyes. The pull this woman has on me is clear when I offer my hand, palm up. She places something tiny and light in the middle of my palm and then her hands are back under her shirt, fondling her other tit. Swallowing hard, I keep staring and when she adds something else on my palm I finally glance down.

“Motherfucker,” I grunt and quickly shove the two sparkling barbells into the front pocket of my jeans.

“I want them back after we’re done,” she states.

I can only nod, my mind is still trying to process the fact that her nipples are pierced.

My mind clears and my thoughts fall from my mouth, “Why the fuck remove your piercings? You don’t see me taking out mine.”

Her eyes narrow and flick down to my chest.

“My cock, not my nipples,” I growl. Her gaze hits my crotch and I add, “Reverse Prince Albert.”

Heat seeps into her gorgeous blue eyes for a breath or two and then it’s gone.

Placing her hands on her hips she casually states, “You don’t see me taking out my clit hood piercing, do you? Just my nipple barbells because my breasts are sensitive, and I need to focus when I’m fighting and not get fucking pissed if I get hit in the chest.”

Fuck. My blood pressure rises, and I have to reach down and adjust myself.

The little minx smirks knowingly and lets her expression harden when she snaps, “Let’s get this over with so I can get the fuck out of town.”

There’s no way my brother will let his old lady leave town. I’ve seen with my own eyes how he looks at her, and she’s just as hooked as he is. I know for a fact those two are solid. I’m also aware these two sisters share a tight bond, like I do with my twin. Therefore, there’s no telling what Bran will do if Deanna wants to leave. It’s a loaded discussion for another time.

“Besides.” Deanna points at the pocket where I have her piercings stashed. “That’s as close as you’ll ever get to something private of mine.”

It takes everything inside me not to lash out. Her body betrays her every damn time we’re close, letting me catch a glimpse of the desire in her eyes. She makes my cock just as hard in return and yet we go head-to-head each and every damn time we’re close.

“When we get back, we’re going to have a little chat,” I tell her instead of snarling how wrong she is, along with the fact that I claimed her as mine, so her pussy belongs to me.

Shaking her head, she mutters under her breath, “Maybe I’ll be dead to avoid it from happening.”

“Would you fucking stop,” I snarl. “The only ones dying today are Tar Lines fuckers.”

She slowly tilts her head to the side. “So, you’re telling me I can kill whomever I like?”

Why do I get the feeling this question is a booby trap? “The only ones I care for, and who should come out of it alive are you, my mother, and me.”

She pursues her lips, giving me the indication I was right…she would gladly see me headbutt a bullet.

“Remember,” I snap. “I’m the one offering you the chance to fix this together instead of simply handing your ass over to them. Don’t get my mother killed, stay safe yourself, and let me bring the two of you home. Kill anyone who gets in our way of doing so. I simply don’t give a fuck.”

Without waiting for a reply, or adding “bitch” to the end of that sentence the way I wanted to, I step in the direction of the room where Kent is. “Stay here so I can blindfold the fucker to make sure he doesn’t know you’re working with me. I don’t want anything fucking this up.”

“Don’t we need to discuss a plan of attack or something? Especially with the way you like giving out orders,” she says with a load of sass in her voice.

I turn to face her and give it to her straight. “We’re both fighters, in and out of the ring. You know damn well there’s no saying what happens when shit hits the fan. I trust you to have my back and I’ll have yours.”

“Easy as that?” she murmurs.

I give a tight nod and echo, “Easy as that.”

Stepping inside the room, I find Kent the way we left him; tied to a chair with a black cotton sac over his head to keep him in the dark. His movements are jerky due to fear of the unknown. I have no sympathy for the fucker who planted a pipe bomb in the clubhouse and wanted to kill as many members as he could.

I cut him loose from the chair and use a zip tie to bind his arms to his back. He’s practically a heavy sac of flesh and bones who can’t stand on his own feet. We beat the crap out of him to get some vital answers and info and Deanna, along with some other old ladies, thought it would be entertaining to do the same.

It’s why I grab him under his armpits and drag him out the door. Deanna follows behind us without a word. Once I get to the SUV parked on the side of the clubhouse, I let the fucker drop to the ground to get my keys.

Hitting the button of the liftgate, I shove my keys back in my pocket while it opens so I can hoist the fucker inside. I use another zip tie to bind his ankles together just in case the guy gets creative. The liftgate closes and I turn to face Deanna.

“What?” she whispers.

I shrug. “Need to wait a minute or two so the fucker thinks I’m getting you instead of you simply hopping in.”

She rolls her eyes but stays quiet.

“No smart remark?” I challenge.

Now she’s the one who shrugs. “You’re right. If he’s smart he knows you had your hands full carrying him. Can’t drag two bodies by yourself, and if it were more people there would be more noise shuffling and talking. So, should I crawl in there myself?”

A smirk slides across my face, and I can’t help but tease, “And take away the only chance I’ll get to have you in my arms?”

“Before you dump me,” she adds under her breath, but I catch it anyway.

I grit my teeth. Everything is a damn struggle with her. Okay, I’m not an easy man, and we haven’t exactly met under the right circumstances. Though, I doubt if the right circumstances exist. Most of the bikers who have an old lady have a weird as fuck story how they met and got together.

Without warning I step closer and sweep her off her feet and into my arms. A tiny gush of air forces her lips apart. I know the woman isn’t the type to yelp, but it’s good to know I can still catch her by surprise.

Yet, I’m the one frozen in place when she throws her arms around my neck for the sake of balance and our eyes lock. My breath catches at the forced proximity. Her lush lips within reach of mine. The way she fits perfectly in my arms, her scent teasing my nose, it’s everything that creates an invisible pull between us.

I know she feels it too when she closes the distance and merges her mouth with mine. My eyes fall shut and I groan in delight. Her fingers slide into my hair, pulling me closer and taking lead of our heated tongue-lashing. Because this is not simply kissing. It’s devouring, surrendering to a deeper craving, following bliss, acting on animalistic instinct. It’s fucking legendary. Except for the smack against the back of my head.

I regretfully pull my lips from Deanna and growl, “What the fuck?” only now noticing Dams, one of the older generation.

Dams smirks. “Dude, you take after your father. I was standing here for over fuck knows how long telling you to move your damn ass and you didn’t even acknowledge me or the world around you.”

Gently, I place Deanna on her feet and take a zip tie from my pocket. My mind is a damn mess, and it might not be the smartest idea ever to go in blind with Deanna. Shit. Our first kiss was lethal enough to suck me right into her spell.

“Turn around,” I gruffly tell her and she doesn’t even give me any lip as she quickly turns to put her arms behind her back.

“What did you need to tell me?” I ask Dams.

“Deeds has brothers in place for backup.” He holds out a tiny device. “Push the button on this fucker if you’re ready for them to break down doors and come in hot with bullets.”

“Thanks,” I grunt and shove the tiny device in the front pocket of my leather cut.

Hitting the button of the liftgate, it opens and I quickly scoop up Deanna to place her inside the SUV. I have to force myself to focus and not dwell on how amazing she feels the limited time our bodies touch. Shit. I shouldn’t have put my hands on her, and definitely shouldn’t have kissed her.

The liftgate closes and I’m about to step around the SUV when Dams says, “You can fight it all you want, kid. However, the dick wants what the heart already knows, and your mind will eventually catch up. Just don’t take too long to get it together or you’ll blow the best thing in life.”

“I have no clue what you’re talking about,” I grumble. “Except for blowing a nut when you mention my dick.”

“Yeah, you do, asshole. You gotta give a little to get a little and I don’t mean the size of your dick and getting fucked. I’m telling you to bite your tongue on some moments and simply nod your head to get on even ground with your old lady. That will give your brain a few seconds to think before you speak to get somewhere with that woman. Believe me when I say women are complicated creatures who function on a different level than we do.”

Dams used to be the vice president of this MC, his daughter, Bee, is Archer’s old lady, and I do value his advice. Even if it doesn’t make any sense at all.

I lift my chin. “Thanks, Dams.”

He smacks my shoulder. “Go get your mother and bring her home safe. Then you’ll have all the time to fuck shit up with your old lady who you just tied up and shoved in the back of a vehicle. Hell, she might even let you tie her up again if you play your cards right.”

“You know I always cheat when I’m playing cards.” I grin.

Dams rolls his eyes. “You’re so fucked and not in a good way. I’m gonna give you one little piece of advice. When shit goes bad between you two? Kiss her.”

“If only life were that simple,” I mutter.

If shit goes bad, kiss her. What the hell kind of advice is that? Shoving the conversation we just had to the back of my mind, I get behind the wheel and start the drive to the warehouse that was mentioned to make the exchange.

I hope to hell we get out of this alive, and maybe, just maybe, if we do? Then I might make a damn effort to get to know my old lady. All we’ve ever done is go head-to-head with fighting words. Shit. That does sound fucked-up. I don’t even know her and yet I already claimed her as mine.

Taking a deep breath, I bring the SUV to a stop and grit my teeth. I might not know her as a person, and yet the things I’ve read and heard about her are enough to put my trust in her to have her as my partner in crime at a moment. A very important moment where the life of the person who brought me into this world is on the line.

I hope to fuck my gut was right to claim this woman when my brother claimed her twin. When he said those words, my body filled with longing and the desire to take what’s rightfully mine as well. Sounds fucked-up, but the intense mixture of emotions that woman brings out in me is unlike any female alive has been able to do. Even if we go head-to-head…maybe that’s just it…hate is as equally strong as love, right?

Gotta start somewhere, but right now we have to direct that hate against the people who want her dead and save my mother in the process.