Chapter 7

Chapter 8StormWhen we patched in our newest brother, the club name I chose to give him was a no-brainer. And by the time Hacker and Angel married a few months later, the club was booming.Our club was twenty members strong. Our garage and security firm were doing well, and we were toying with the idea of running a strip club that was off site and open to the public all day. Our club brothers were doing better by and large.However, occasionally when things fell apart for them, we were there to help them put the pieces back together again. My personal mantra was, ‘ whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.’The recent throwdown we had with Twisted Metal was the last of several hard fought battles, and it took the wind out of their sails. Duke was incensed that we’d taken their cash, but he had no resources to continue fighting with us. He knew it was only a matter of time before we firebombed his place to the fucking ground so they pulled back to just outside the state line, taking the drugs and prostitution with them. As long as they stayed there, that made them not our problem anymore.Thunder came outside to get me. I stubbed out my cigarette and followed him in.“I thought you were giving up smokes. What happened, Storm?”“I am giving them up. It’s just a process.”“They stink.”“Thanks for pointing that out. It’s not like I have a fucking nose of my own or anything.”Thunder glanced over his shoulder and said, “A bit touchy today aren’t you?”“Maybe. Just steer clear of me when I’m like this. I’m not fit company for man nor beast today.”Grit heard my comment and quipped. “Well, you sure as hell better get your head straight. We’ve got a wedding taking place here in a little under two hours.”“Thanks for the tip,” I say sarcastically. “That must explain all the fucking caterers, florists and such running around.”“Goddamn, you are in a foul mood.”I grimaced, wishing I’d kept my damn mouth shut. “You tending bar for the wedding, Grit?”“Yeah, but we need to get a real bartender. I’m not interested in spending all my free time behind that bar, you know?”I nodded. “I’ll put an ad online or something.”“Thanks, boss.”I cautioned him, “Pour the good stuff with a heavy hand today, Grit. Just be sure to collect their car keys after the third drink. I don’t want Hacker’s special day to be ruined because someone gets shit faced and tries to drive home.”“Don’t worry. I’ll be careful, boss.”I headed to the back room to check on the groom, straightening my nicely cut suit as I walked. I found Hacker alone in our meeting room with his head in his hands.“Hey, brother. You okay?”His head lifted and I saw his face was lined with worry. “Yeah, just last minute nerves.”“Want to talk about it?”“It’s nothing, really. I’ve just been sitting here thinking of all the things Angel is going to miss out on because she’s marrying me.”“What in fuck are you talking about.”“Women have fantasies. You know that, right?” When he saw no hint of recognition on my face, he explained. “For instance women dream of their wedding day being super special.”“I think we made all her dreams come true in that regard,” I replied with a chuckle.He smiled at me. “Yeah, we really spoiled her.” When a shadow of worry crossed his brow, I reached out to touch him ars. He stammered, “Women dream of other things. Things I’ll never be able to do with her. Like nailing her against the wall, walking barefoot on the beach, and romantic shit like that.”“Christ, Hacker. For a smart guy, you sure are stupid sometimes.” Before he could get riled up on his wedding day, I explained. “Angel fucking loves you. She didn’t date anyone for almost five long years on the off chance that you’d come back to her. Do you really think she gives two hoots in hell about petty shit like that?”He bit his lips together to keep from laughing. “When you put it like that, I’m pretty sure she doesn’t.”I slap him on the shoulder for moral support and shoot back, “Of course she doesn’t. You’re her prince charming. Just say the pretty words, pose for the pictures, and then fuck her like a beast when you land in Mexico. Easy peasy.”“Thanks for the pep talk, Storm. It helped a lot.”“No problem. The day you sighed up for the Slayers was the day your happiness became our responsibility.”He grinned at me, “I’m not sure that’s how shit works in the real world, Storm.”“We’re in my world now.” I gave his shoulder a squeeze. “I’m gonna go harass the caterers and make sure the food is served hot.”“Are you always such a hard ass?”“Leave my ass out of it and get that tux on before you run out of time dreaming up all the possible ways this could go to shit on you.”“Sure thing, Storm.”I walked down to the bar and discovered the caterers setting up for the reception. I pulled a food thermometer out of my pocket and used a disinfectant wipe to clean it, then carefully checked the internal temperature of every dish. Everything checked out. Food held on a buffet at less than one hundred and forty degrees Fahrenheit was a prime breeding ground for harmful bacteria. The last thing I needed was a bunch of people contracting a food-borne illnesses. Not on my fucking watch.I heard a commotion at the door and rushed to check it out. It was Angel’s family, wanting to bring covered dishes. The wedding planner was trying her best to explain that this wasn’t a covered dish affair. I discretely motioned over the head caterer and told her to make sure the food got reheated properly and then presented as part of the buffet.I growled for good measure, “We’re paying you to solve problems, not fucking create them.”“Roger that, sir. It won’t happen again.”I eyed her suspiciously. Something about her tone made me think she was being flippant with me.I headed to the area where Angel was supposed to be getting ready and knocked on her door. Maybe checking in on her was not my responsibility, but today my club brother was getting married and I wasn’t about to let anything spoil this day.“Come in,” her quivering voice called out.I opened the door to find her still in her robe.“If you need help, I can get one of your family members. They just arrived.”“Yeah, that would be nice. Just give me a minute first, okay?”I squatted down in front of her and tilted my head. Something was off about her today, but I couldn’t figure out quite what it was.“Why don’t you tell me what’s going on, Angel? You look like something’s eating you up inside.”She blinked back tears. “I’m worried that Adam is just marrying because I bugged the shit out of him for months. Do you think I came on too strong?”I reached up to scratch the back of my neck. “Well, let me just say this is one of the stranger things I’ve heard today.”“What else is going on?”“Not a lot. I had to call out a plumber to fix a leak in the restroom at o’dark thirty this morning. Picked up more booze for the bar. Did a temperature control check on the food. Shot a stray dog that wouldn’t stop barking out back. Ran interference between the wedding planner and a guest who brought food. Shined twelve pairs of dress shoes. Then listened to Hacker confess to feeling guilty for marrying you because he can’t fuck you against the wall. He was pretty torn down that you might want to run barefoot on the beach one day and he couldn’t do that with you either.”“Are you serious. You actually shot a stray barking dog so his barking wouldn’t ruin the wedding?”My eyes slid away, “I may have made that one up for comedic effect.”She let out a relieved laugh. “Thank God. I suppose the shining twelve pairs of shoes was a joke too.”“All the other stuff is true.” I hold up two fingers and say earnestly, “Scouts honor.”“You were an actual boy scout?”I shook my head slightly. “Special forces, green beret. Does that count?”She frowned, “Are you lying again? I can’t tell with you sometimes.”I pressed my lips together to keep from smiling. “God, I don’t know what it is with you, but I just can’t stop makin’ shit up.”“You told Adam I don’t care about stupid stuff like that, didn’t you?”I nodded. “Yeah, I told him you were true blue.”Her hands came up to her mouth and her eyes filled with tears. “Thank you, Storm. I appreciate everything you’re doing to hold things together for us today.”I grinned. “Angel, that’s what brotherhood is all about.”Just then a dog began barking loudly outside the window. I came to my feet and Angel panicked a little. “You’re not going to shoot that dog are you?”“I’d like to put a muzzle on him for a few hours, but I don’t have one, so a bullet will have to do.”“Storm, don’t you dare,” she exclaimed.I rolled my eyes. “Don’t worry, I’m not gonna.” I let a second or two slip by before adding, “There are fucking too many animal lovers here today to get away with something like that.”When her mouth fell open, I shook my head. “Yeah, that was another lie. I gotta say, nice women don’t bring out the best in me.”It was clear from the expression on her face that Angel didn’t know quite what to make of me. Hell, I didn’t know what to make of my damn self most days.I double checked everything, and before I knew it the wedding march was playing. I slipped in and sat in one of the back seats. Seeing Hacker’s face when he watched his beautiful blushing bride walk down the aisle made everything I’d done to bring these two people together worth it. For once my cold, empty heart was full and for today that would have to be enough.THE ENDThank you for reading the prequel!  Ready for book 1 of the  Dark Slayers MC series?  Check out “Storm” Storm’s and Zoe’s storyStorm, the president of the Dark Slayers MC, is everything I should stay away from - tough, powerful and addictive.

I have no business stepping into his world. Especially after that article, I wrote about his MC club.But I’m out of options. I need his help.

Kids are missing – my sister among them. Storm and the Slayers are my last hope.

Storm agrees to help but demands I pretend to be his woman. But being too close to a smoking-hot tattooed biker with a body built for worship robs me of my willpower to resist him

Storm is a mystery, a danger, and the protector I never knew I desired.

I keep telling myself it’s all fake. Everything. His sultry gaze. His tender caress. His hungry kisses. And yet – Storm haunts me in my dreams.

There is no one I trust more than him to confront the bad guys who took my sister. Storm will stop at nothing to save her and to keep me safe. Just for now, he promises.

If it’s only temporary, how do I stop myself from becoming addicted? Could it be that some ties can’t be cut?Read “Storm” nowStormChapter One (excerpt)It was Thursday night which meant everyone was here at the clubhouse, and the music was too loud. I sat at my usual table near the stage. It was reserved for me, the President of Dark Slayers.Across the smoke-filled haze of the dance floor, Amber was hanging off the stripper pole with the metal rod between her legs. Her hips worked, curling and bumping like she was fucking it. My deep-throated chuckle came out like a growl, and I looked away. The last thing I wanted to do was encourage her.On the other side of the room, Breaker nursed a drink. Every time I looked over at the fucker tonight, he was drinking. He was really going at it, and I needed him to keep his head on his shoulders tonight. Every night. He was the club’s Sergeant-in-Arms. The last thing any of us needed from my second in command was for him to turn into a drunken fool.“He’s not doing too well,” a voice said beside me. It was Buzz. I didn’t notice that he’d slipped into one of the chairs at my table, which he should have known better than to do.This was my night for looking over the business books to make sure the money was all in order. We had an accounts guy for it, but I liked to keep my eye on things. And usually, when I was dealing with these books, the guys knew to leave me alone. But Buzz had decided to interrupt me tonight. I turned to him, ready to knock some sense back into him, but I gave him a chance.“What the fuck are you talking about?”“I saw you look at Breaker, and I figured someone should give you the full picture.”“I have the full picture. Breaker’s son has gone missing.”Buzz nodded, throwing another look in Breaker’s direction.“And after all these years, they were finally on the verge of having a relationship. You know what I mean? Breaker hadn’t seen his son for so long and now, he’s gone. Vanished into thin air. So many missed opportunities.”There had to be a perfect explanation for it. That kid was going to turn up, but Breaker wasn’t looking at it that way. Ever since he heard that Daniel was nowhere to be found, he’d dedicated all his energy to finding whatever information he could about his son.The man was crumbling right before our eyes, and there was nothing we could do about it. The festivities at the clubhouse had taken a hammering tonight, and it was because Daniel Gentry was on all our minds. Breaker was one of us, which made his estranged son one of us, too.Continue reading