Chapter One

Silver

I felt him.

I always felt him.

In a deliberate and unhurried manner, as though an unseen influence was coercing me, I cast a cautious glance over my shoulder, only to discover him standing by the entrance, his piercing stare directed at me, his eyes resembling glacial sterling silver spheres, devoid of any warmth or life.

It was a dance we had meticulously honed and refined throughout the years. Neither of us prepared to yield as we locked eyes in a battle of wills. It was a dangerous game. I knew that. I wasn't stupid, but nothing I did could tear me away.

He wasn't like the others. He was darker, stronger, more violent. Just plain dangerous in every sense of the word. After the life I lived, I would have thought I'd want nothing remotely similar, that I would steer clear of a man like him. Yet his darkness called to me. Beckoned me like a moth to a flame. No one here captured my attention like he did. No one sparked my fight-or-flight instinct like he did.

Gideon Scott was the man mothers and fathers warned their daughters about. The one to run away from, to never engage, to steer clear of. And yet, here I was, drawn to the very man who could destroy what life I had left inside me.

Maybe on some level, I was just as sick and twisted as he was.

Maybe I was a glutton for more punishment.

Hell, maybe I was just plain fucking stupid.

All I knew was there was something about the man that called to me. I couldn't explain it any more than I could tell you why the grass was green, or the sky was blue.

It just was.

"You want to get the fuck out of my way, asshole," Montana groused from behind the big menacing man, leaning on a pair of crutches.

Smirking, I leaned on the bar and clearly said, "What the hell happened to you?"

Grumpily, Montana hobbled over, reached for the bar, then threw his crutches on the ground. Taking a seat, he sighed.

"Motherfucker shot me."

Holding my grin, I asked, "Who? Malice?"

"No. Reaper."

"Ah." I nodded in complete understanding.

Made sense to me.

Reaper hated Montana, and if my memory served me well, Reaper did threaten to get back at Montana for the club's fuck up regarding the whole Reaper/Remi situation. If I knew Montana wouldn't chew my head off, I'd say he got what he deserved.

But I kept that bit to myself.

Reaching for a bottle of whiskey, I grabbed a glass and poured my good friend a double, sliding it over to him.

"Sooo," I drawled out. "How was California?"

"Shut up, Silver," the man grumbled, before swallowing the shot.

Malice growled.

Montana and I slowly turned to the non-talkative asshole and glared.

"I know you didn't just fucking growl at me, asshole," Montana snapped. "I got shot because you had to go see your sister. Who, by the way, is way scarier than you. So put a cork in it!"

Malice growled again, storming off.

Shaking my head, I turned back to my friend and smiled. "So, is she really that scary?"

"That bitch fucking needs to be committed. She makes Malice look like a fucking Boy Scout."

"She wasn't that bad." Fury chuckled, taking a seat next to Montana. "Think of it this way, Silver. Ivy is the female version of Malice. Only just more."

"She took him down with no problem." Payne smirked, dropping his bags, before reaching across the bar for a cold beer. "Best shit I've seen in a long time."

"No way!" I smiled happily. "Tell me everything."

"It was glorious," Mercy spoke up. "One minute she was calm as a cucumber, the next she had Malice on the floor with a knife to his throat. I never would have thought a little thing like her could do something like that."

"So, Malice has a biological sister?"

"Yep," Montana groaned, pouring himself another whiskey. "And neither one is happy about it."

"Why?"

"Who the fuck knows? All I know is that bitch is never stepping foot in this club."

"Call my sister a bitch one more time and we are going to have a fucking problem."

We all turned to find Malice leaning against the far wall, eating an apple while he glared at all of us.

"That's it!" Montana roared. "Mercy, put a fucking bell on him!"

We all laughed.

Three nights later...

Looking around my room, I made sure I had everything I needed.

It was one of my rare nights off and thanks to Pippen, who offered to work the bar tonight, I had some free time. I still didn't know what the hell I was going to do, but I knew whatever it was didn't include hanging out with the Soulless Sinners' brothers.

I wanted out of the clubhouse.

I wanted to dip my toes back into the real world.

There was nothing keeping me inside anymore now that Petrovitch was dead. No more worries, no more fear, nothing.

Thanks to the Soulless Sinners and several others, I was free for the first time in my life. I could go anywhere, do anything, be anyone.

It was an odd feeling, considering I lived most of my life behind closed doors. I wanted to see what was outside the walls of the Soulless Sinners Motorcycle Club. I wanted to meet new people, make new friends, talk with someone who did not know who the hell I was.

Mainly, I wanted one night where he wasn't looking over my shoulder. It wasn't too much to ask.

Well, at least I didn't think so.

After checking to make sure I looked okay, I grabbed my backpack and left my room. Heading for the main room, I almost made it to the front door when a large wall stepped in front of me.

Halting, I took a deep breath before I leaned my head back and looked up at the imposing figure.

Like every time before, he said nothing as he glared at me.

"Got something to say, Malice?"

He stood before me, arms crossed over his massive chest and glared. I knew he wouldn't say shit.

He rarely did.

"Hey, Silver." Largo, Mercy's wife, smiled, walking over to us, standing next to me. "Wow, girl. You look hot tonight. Doesn't she, Malice?"

The big man growled.

"Got a hot date?" Largo smirked, a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.

He snarled this time, only at Largo.

"No." I sighed, shook my head, then took a deep breath before looking at the woman. "It's my night off, and I was just gonna go out for a bit since there is no reason I need to stay cooped up in the clubhouse anymore."

"Good for you, girl," Largo chirped happily. "About time you got out of this place and spread your wings. I say fly high, girl. Go see what the world can offer you."

"What's going on?" Mercy asked, walking over with Fury and Vicious, who were grinning.

"Silver is going out tonight."

All three men stopped dead in their tracks and quickly looked at Malice, who still hadn't moved from his spot.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Pippen run toward the offices.

Great.

My night out was about to become a thing.