Prologue

PROLOGUE

Sniper – Twenty-Four Years Old

I down the shot of Jack that Levi, our prospect, just handed me.

Today I've finally patched over as Secretary in the club. Being a brother, it's an honor, and even though my father, Bull, was our president before my blood brother Snake took over, my brother and I still had to work our asses off to become club brothers, more so than others.

All of us next generation kids have to work hard, but my brother and I, yeah, we were put through the wringer.

We spent a year prospecting, proving to the other club brothers that we're not just club brats but that we take our roles within the club more seriously. We were not handed the titles due to who our father is.

We spent more hours on door and cleaning duties, and we had to be more en pointe with our respect toward the brothers. We also had to spend hours upon fucking hours learning about each fucking brother and their family, and their fucking backstories.

It was hard, but just like Snake, I worked my fucking ass off to prove to everyone I could do the job I was offered, so when I informed the club I wasn't taking the council patch, they were shocked.

Four years ago, my brother became president. Each older generation handed in their council patches the same day so us younger generation could take over the club, which means they no longer had any major responsibility within the club other than Tats' father, who decided his son needed more time to learn the role which, to this day, I still fucking don't understand; I was the only one who refused, wanting more time to better myself.

The older generation still attends church—a room where we have our meetings within the council unless all the brothers need to be involved. The older gen only attends once a month, unless they are required for guidance, having run the club for decades.

When I was twenty, I decided to attend school full time instead of joining my generation of brothers patching over. I remained a regular brother, helping the club as much as possible, until I could take over my role. I needed my business degree before taking over the role of Secretary.

And I did. I learned a shit load to help the club.

Within my job role, I'm in charge of the prospects and brothers, keeping track of each council member so they can get paid, and ensuring I have a log of all the women on the property. I also handle the club's administration, and deal with all the paperwork.

I wanted to have my degree first, and the brothers understood and agreed when I mentioned taking a mechanical engineering degree along with my business degree so I could open a garage. The brothers fucking celebrated, and all understood that it would take me a another two years until I graduated, and now, I finally get my job within the club, along with two degrees I'm proud of.

I take another shot from Levi, who chuckles at me before I turn around and look at the full room. Everyone is here tonight to celebrate.

The president's brother patching over is a big deal, or that's what my parents said anyway.

The brothers are talking. Their old ladies are all scowling at the clubwhores, who're wearing barely anything, gaining some of their old men's wondering eyes, which makes me snort. I can't understand why they'd settle down if they kept wandering over to the whores.

A clubwhore is a woman who lives at the club, cleaning, cooking, and doing laundry for room and board, but also likes sex more than the brothers…. Well, some do; others want a patched brother for what they can give them.

Fuck, Breaker, our Sergeant-at-Arms, had a clubwhore, Jingles, try and trap him. She gave birth to his son Noah about a month ago. A DNA test proved he was the father, like she claimed. She wanted his patch but he didn't give it to her. He told her he'd be a dad, but she could go fuck herself if she thought she was getting his cut, and now, well, she doesn't get to touch a brother but still lives here for Noah, who she has nothing to do with.

She cleans while trying to get a brother to fuck her, but no one will. She's been labeled a traitor and untouchable, and most days, I see the looks she gives Noah when he's at the club.

Several times I've tried to convince him to kick her out, but he won't, adamant Noah will hate him in the long run. He's bringing Noah up with his family's help, especially Kennedy. Kennedy is someone we've all grown up with and is Lola's best friend. Lola is Doc, our Treasurer's, sister, who happens to have a thing for Breaker, but I think that's only because she believes he can give her a life of luxury and safety.

She thinks something is going on with Ken and Breaker, which is why she hasn't tried anything yet, which I am aware Doc believes that also. Doc is head over heels in love with Kennedy, not realizing we all know. We're just waiting for them both to pull their heads out of their asses, because there's no way anything is going on with Ken and Breaker; the fucker is eyeballs deep in diapers, and Ken's eyes are always on Doc.

And then there is Tats, our Enforcer. His birth momma is a clubwhore, Snatch. She tried exactly what Jingles did, and of course, it didn't work, and when his father got with Emily, his now wife, she became Tats' mother. Fuck, he even calls her "Mom", but he's barely at the club unless he has to be.

Tats only patched over last month when he should have patched over three years ago.

Something isn't right with that situation, but when I last tried to bring it up, he asked me not to get involved, and I have kept to my word so far, but as soon as he says the word, I'll have his fucking back.

I look around the rustic room, watching everyone celebrate for me, but I gag when I notice my parents making out on the black corner couch near the door like teenagers. I quickly look away, a chuckle coming from my left.

I raise a brow at Smokey, our Road Captain, and comment, "If that were your parents, you'd be doing the same."

He nods, running a hand through his black hair, scuffing up the long bit on top. He winces, admitting, "Try walking into the bathroom to see your momma bent over and your father ramming into her…." My eyes widen, my mouth hanging open, and he nods. "Yep, that's what I thought."

I shudder in disgust, making him chuckle, when Snake gets our attention.

"Brothers!" he shouts, the room quieting down, and I look at him. He has a grin on his face, his dark brown eyes that are so much like mine shining with happiness.

Everyone says we would be twins if he allowed his hair to grow back, but I don't know; his beard is dark brown, while my hair is black.

When he was a kid, Momma took him to the hospital, and he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He had chemo and had lost all of his hair, and well, when it started to grow back, the fucker liked being bald so much that he shaved it all off. Now he only has dark brown facial hair, but he rocks it, along with the cobra tattoo on his neck that Tats did when Snake turned eighteen, earning his club name, which our parents were pissed about.

I found it funny, though, just like they found it amusing when I shot myself in the foot with a rifle, hence my club name Sniper.

Safe to say that was the last time I believed Smokey and Snake when they told me the safety was on.

"I want to make a toast to my blood brother, who has finally fucking finished his degree." The club cheers, and I grin, leaning against the bar. Hairy, our VP and my brother's best friend, slides up beside me, draping his arm over my shoulders, bending me, and rubbing his fist into my shaggy black hair, making me chuckle. I shove him away.

The brothers grin, and Snake continues, "He's spent the past four years working on not one but two fucking degrees so he can help take this club further," the club cheers again, "and now that he's graduated and built up his garage, he can finally take over the role that he has fucking earned tenfold."

The brothers all cheer and bang on tables and walls as my eyes connect with my father's. He has a grin on his face, and pride shines off him, which I can feel from here as he walks over to me, holding my new cut.

A counsel brother's cut, which has an officer's patch sewn on.

Secretary.

Taking a deep breath, I stand up straight and remove my current one, passing it over to Hairy, who grins wide. My father stops before me with a grin, his blue eyes shining.

"It's a proud moment for a father to be able to hand his son the patch he deserves, and it just makes me prouder to know you wanted to wait until you had your degrees." He holds up the cut. I turn, allowing him to help me put it on, before I turn back, and he nods. "I'm so fucking proud of you, son."

Emotions run through me, and I nod and rasp, "Thanks, Dad."

He grins and steps back before shouting, "Your new secretary, boys!"

The whole club erupts, banging, shouting, cheering, and jumping on each other, making me laugh at their antics.

Snake comes my way and pulls me into a hug as he rasps, "I'm proud, too, baby brother," making me squeeze him back. We pull apart and everyone comes and congratulates me.

It's at this moment I know how fucking lucky I am to have such an amazing family at my back. Looking around the room, everyone is celebrating me, and fuck, even Tats, who only comes to the club if he has to, is here for me.

I shake my head, trying to control my emotions, not wanting to seem like a fucking pussy, when my eyes connect with Juicy, a new clubwhore.

Her eyes look up and down my body while mine do the same to hers. She's only in a bra and thong, her pink hair down in waves. My cock hardens.

The thing about me is I love sex. In high school, I used to fuck the teachers, not giving a shit if they were married.

I'm surprised I didn't catch a fucking disease.

I'm classed as the club player, and honestly, it's a title I fucking relish, because settling down isn't for me. I don't want an old lady or a family. I don't want that responsibility or that pressure.

Juicy bites her bottom lip seductively, and I nod to the hallway, making her grin wide, rushing that way.

Now normally, I wouldn't have a problem fucking in the common room. It's past nine at night, but my mother is still here, as well as women I see as aunties, so with that thought, I pat Hairy and Smokey on the back, making them chuckle, and head for hopefully a good fuck. My tip is weeping, wanting a tight pussy.

Now, why would anyone want to settle down when they have pussy on tap, without all that responsibility?

Aurora – Seventeen Years Old

The vertices of ABC are A (0, 0), B (6, 0), and C (3, 7). What type of triangle is ABC?

A. acute isosceles triangle

B. acute scalene triangle

C. right isosceles triangle

D. right scalene triangle

I mumble under my breath, my eyes going over the diagram, but nothing stands out.

Crap….

Sighing, I put my pencil down and stretch my back. I'm sitting, crouched over in the white breakfast nook, trying to figure out these equations for tomorrow's test, and I swear I'm going to fail, I just know it.

I wish my dad were here right now. Last week, he was deployed with the Navy, when he promised me he wouldn't go on active duty until after I finished high school. He's the only parent I have left after my momma passed three years ago, and it was hard. I was going through my hormonal stages, and we lost her… I lost her.

A drunk driver hit her when she was leaving the grocery store, and now my father has broken his promise and gone on a mission he can't explain, and it's not like he was ordered to go. With his rank now, he can decline certain missions, and he promised he spoke to his superior about being on desk duty until after I finished school. I need him, yet he can't see that; he only thinks about himself and what he wants, just like he has for years.

I sigh. I miss him already, and it's only been a week into his year-and-a-half deployment.

My eyes go over the paper in front of me again, and I grumble, "Why do I need math anyway?"

"Talking to yourself, Aurora?" a voice says to my right, making me screech as I nearly fall out of my seat. Acid chuckles, his green eyes twinkling, and I narrow my eyes at him. He holds his hands up in surrender. "I didn't mean to scare you, honey; I just came to check on you, and make sure you're alright."

I huff at his words and look at the paper again. Acid is part of the Huntsmen MC here in New York. He was actually patched over as their Road Captain last week before my dad left. I've grown up with the club, Steel being my father's best friend and my pseudo uncle.

Apparently, my mom's dad, who I never met, was a brother before he was gunned down by a rival gang, the Hell Bound Killers, killing him instantly, and my parents kept in touch with the Huntsmen. I don't see them much, mainly Steel when he comes around for Sunday dinners along with Acid, his cousin, but since my father has gone on active duty again, they've agreed to keep an eye on me, even though I told them I didn't need babysitting.

I mean, I'm seventeen, so legally, I can move out in six months when I turn eighteen.

My dad wouldn't hear of it, and Acid volunteered, which my dad was happy about. I've known Acid since I was about ten, and he'd just joined the club at eighteen.

He's like a big brother to me, really.

I groan, banging my head on the counter when my eyes return to the equation.

"What's up, cupcake?" he asks, making me snort at the nickname he gave me after I shoved one in Billy Madison's face when he called me a poopoo brain when I was twelve.

"Math, Acid, and I know you can't help me because, well, you suck just as bad," I grumble, and he snorts, walking my way. He sits next to me, grabs the paper, and furrows his brows, his blonde hair falling over his forehead.

"What the fuck?" he mumbles, and I laugh, because that was my thought as well.

"See, you're just as dumb as me," I retort. He narrows his eyes, shoves me a little, making me laugh again as he gets his phone out. I tilt my head and ask, "Who are you calling?"

He grumbles, "Piston…."

I laugh harder, making him shove me again. Piston is his blood brother, a year younger than him, and good with numbers. He also has an old lady, a woman to whom a brother only gives their property cut if he wants forever with her, claiming them as theirs in the eyes of the club. She's riding his ass for a baby, but he claims he's not ready yet.

Apparently, in the beginning, Piston didn't see a future with Natalie, his now old lady. She'd claimed to be pregnant, and he thought he was doing the right thing, but it was a false alarm. Then he actually fell hard for her, which is good because some brothers don't fall; they stray instead. Piston also took me under his wing when I was eleven, and I wanted to learn how to ride a push bike.

He's another brother I never wanted but got anyway.

My dad was away on a short trip with the Navy at the time, and I stayed at Steel's house with Mom.

Acid puts his phone on speaker as Piston answers, "Yeah, brother?"

Acid grumbles reluctantly, "I need your help," making me laugh again, and Acid shoves me yet again, nearly knocking me off the stool, making him grin.

Piston chuckles. "Let me guess, Aurora is stuck on her math practice paper, ready for tomorrow, and you don't have a clue?"

"That's because he sucks at numbers," Natalie shouts in the background.

I snort. "He took one look at it and said, ‘What the fuck.'"

Piston laughs at my imitation of Acid's voice, while Acid drops his head, groaning. "Fuck, you two are hard work, and add Natalie into that…."

I grin wide because, yes, yes, we are, and Natalie makes it more fun for us.

"I'll be there in half an hour…. Aurora, make yourself something to eat. Acid, Mallory says there's a problem at the club," Piston says, and Acid groans again, making us both laugh.

Telling his brother fine, Acid hangs up and kisses my head, murmuring, "Love you, lil cupcake."

I smile and say, "Love you, too, big brother," making him chuckle and get up.

Shaking his head, he says over his shoulder, "Do as you were told, Cupcake; make something to eat. I've got problems to handle."

I grin. "Is one of them finally telling Perrie how you really feel about her?"

He groans, lifting his hand while continuing to walk away without answering me, making me laugh again.

Perrie is a waitress at the club and an amazing woman, who is trying to put herself through law school. Acid has had a thing for her for about three years, but isn't willing to ruin their friendship.

I may or may not have expressed his feelings to Perrie yesterday, and I know she's ready to pounce, because she also has feelings for him, too.

I told her she had to name their firstborn after me as a thank you.

Half an hour later, my front door opens again, and I call out, "Piston?" and sit at the nook again, ready to crack these questions.

I can't fail math.

A voice answers back, and I laugh, hearing his words.

"Nope, sorry darling, he's busy pulling his old lady off two clubwhores who tried to touch him when he was about to leave. Got to admit, it was fucking funny," Axe says loudly as his figure enters the kitchen.

I give him a grin and ask, "Did you at least film it?"

He chuckles, his light gray eyes sparkling as he moves his long dark blonde hair back, leaning against the door frame, and admits, "I did, and once we crack through these equations, I'll show you."

I pump my fist in the air, causing him to laugh.

Axe is Acid's and Piston's cousin. He's not as good as Piston with math, but he's better than me and Acid, so hopefully, he can help. He's twenty-five and has been a part of the club since he was eighteen. Every time I've been with the boys, he's been around.

He's a good friend.

He sits beside me, and I furrow my brows with worry, and ask, "Won't Hannah be upset that you're here?"

Hannah is his old lady, and she has been for about three months. She doesn't like me. I'm not really sure why, but the last time I was at the club about two months ago, she accused me of using the brothers for a patch. Steel threatened to kick her off club property, his exact words were, "She's a brother's granddaughter; she comes first."

No one stood behind her.

Hannah didn't like that, and her hate has just grown. I've stayed away from the club since to keep the peace for Axe.

He sighs. "Probably, but we all know she's only my old lady because she is pregnant."

I wince at his words as he grabs my paper to look at the questions.

They had a few one-night stands, and when she had shown proof she was pregnant, he gave her his property patch, but as soon as she got the cut, she apparently "lost" the baby. There's a rumor going around the club that she had an abortion.

Acid said they are looking into it.

"Alright, darling, let's get these done, because we can't have you failing math; your father would kill us," he says, and I snort.

"Okay…" I murmur and grab my pencil.

We spend an hour going through the questions, him showing me how to separate them, before I finally understand, and hopefully, tomorrow, I'll pass.

I just need to make sure I remember all of this. No pressure.

Axe stretches, groaning. "Fuck Aurora, teaching you math is like pulling my fingernails out." I scrunch my nose and shove him a little, making him chuckle. "You know I love you, sweetheart."

I narrow my eyes at him. "Uh huh…."

Chuckling, he stands, grabs his mug, and takes it to the sink. I sigh, clean up my work, and ask, "Do you think I'll pass, Axe?"

He hums as I look at him. A smile shines on his face, making me smile back as he rasps, "You've got this in the bag. You know the answers, my darling; you just psych yourself out, is all."

Knowing he's right, I nod, grab my plate, and walk over to him.

"How's school, darling?" he asks.

I smile, my cheeks heating up as I admit, "The quarterback asked me out on a date for this weekend…."

Axe tenses, his eyes hardening, but I don't think anything of it. He and the boys are too overprotective of me. Because of them, I haven't had a boyfriend and have only kissed one boy.

Marcus Allen.

He planted one on me four years ago, only to be punched by Caleb, Steel's nephew, yet that didn't stop him asking me out for this weekend.

I shrug. "I thought he was with the head cheerleader, but apparently not, and when he asked me, I have to admit, it felt amazing."

Axe nods. "You like him?"

I nod vigorously. "I do. He's been sweet and kind to me, and the first boy I've wanted to date."

Axe hums, a cloud taking over him, his body tensing, confusing me. Shaking my head, I open the dishwasher and put the plate and his mug inside, before turning it on.

Suddenly, I suddenly feel his body behind mine, boxing me in between him and the counter, shocking me.

"Axe…" I start, a tremor in my voice I can't hide. He brings his right hand up to my throat from behind me making me freeze, his left hand grabs my breast, squeezing it.

My eyes widen in shock.

What…?

"You will stay away from the quarterback, Aurora," he rasps against my ear, my body shaking in fear, fear I've never felt around him before. "I have waited years for you to be mine." I try to move out of his grip, but it tightens, and tears build behind my eyelids as I squeeze them tight at his next words. "I have wanted you since I saw you lying on the bed of daises, pointing out the different shapes of clouds…."

Oh God, I was twelve….

"I pictured what it would look like to push up your yellow dress and slide into you, and since then, I knew you were mine. I was just waiting for you to notice me, but you didn't, and now I've had enough of waiting."

I shake my head, my body tight as I whisper on a tremble, "You're my friend, Axe…. Please, step back…."

I can feel my heart pound as I wait for him to step back, and when he does, I finally take a breath and move to the side, ready to run to my room and call Acid because, maybe, Axe is on drugs; his words and actions don't make sense.

I manage to take one step before his fingers tangle into my curly red hair, yanking me back.

I scream as I'm thrown onto the kitchen floor, my head bouncing off the tile, causing pain to shoot through me. Axe's body lands on mine. He grips my white summer dress, bunches it up, and reality hits me.

I start to shove him, pleading with him, "Stop, Axe, please stop. You don't want to do this, please…."

He chuckles, his light gray eyes darkening as he grips my panties, tearing them from my body as he rasps, "Yeah, darling, I do because you're fucking mine, and I'm done waiting for you. I was willing to wait until you finished high school, but knowing someone else wants you…it's not fucking happening."

He tears the top of my dress, my breasts popping out, and I cry out in horror, trying to push him off, hitting his shoulders and his head, but he ignores me, wrapping his lips around my nipple.

Bile raises, my tears falling as he bites me. He thrusts a hand between my legs, and I sob, not knowing who this person is.

I move, wiggling, trying to knock him off, but he shoves two fingers inside me, and instantly, I feel dirty, a burning sensation hitting me hard.

"Axe p-please stop, please ," I plead, screaming and crying.

"Don't worry, my darling, I'm going to make you feel good." He grunts, removing his fingers from where they were violating me.

His hands move between us, and I find the opening I need. I shove him hard as he gets his member out of his jeans, causing him to tumble to the side, and I quickly scramble to get up.

I make it just past the counter when he grabs hold of my hair again, yanking me back, and I cry.

"I don't fucking think so," he growls, shoving me over the counter, his hand holding my cheek pressed against it as he spreads my legs. "You are fucking mine, Aurora, and it's time for you to understand it."

I feel him place his member at my dry entrance, and I start screaming, "Please stop, no stop, stop!" He ignores my pleas, and shoves himself inside me, tearing through my innocence, and I vomit over the counter; I couldn't stop it even if I tried.

I feel like someone is tearing through me from the inside out.

"Fuck, yea, you feel good…. I knew you saved your virginity for me." He groans, and I sob, pain hitting me hard down below. "This is it now, baby. Two years, that's all we have to wait until I can get rid of Hannah, then you and I can go public. You're my girl, my woman," he continues as he thrusts into me.

My body stops fighting as wetness can be felt down my legs, wetness that I know is blood. My mind blanks, knowing I can't fight him off.

I feel like I'm looking down at myself, begging to fight, not to let this happen, but my body has frozen in place, the horror of my situation not hitting home yet.

All I can feel is dirty, and all I wish for is to die….