Cinder
Wire had contacted Shade with information on our rat three days after I discovered Meg was gone. It shouldn’t have surprised me, not really, and yet I’d stared at CJ as Havoc restrained him. Even knowing that he’d monumentally fucked up, the Prospect glared at me with nothing but hatred.
“Why, CJ?” I’d asked. “You even sold out your sister.”
“All those bitches were welcomed into this club with no questions asked, and that fucking Meg was the worst. Spending all that time at your house, winning you over. I’ve paid my dues and busted my ass to be patched in, and here I am, still fucking waiting.”
I’d glanced at Havoc and the other officers gathered around CJ. They looked every bit as furious as I felt, and as much as I wanted to take vengeance for Meg, she wasn’t mine. Not really. Scratch and Havoc had families who required justice. CJ wasn’t leaving the compound, not in one piece anyway. I knew Havoc would cut up his body and have him dumped in several areas.
“See that it’s done,” I’d said before walking off.
That was two weeks ago. It had taken a damn week to get shit organized nationwide, and another to gather supplies and set everything into motion. Every chapter of the Reckless Kings was ready to go, as were their allies. Dixie Reapers, Hades Abyss, and Devil’s Fury were on board too. There would be a massive strike against every chapter of The Inferno that we could locate. I’d heard rumblings there were some that were underground, so I knew there was a chance these assholes would pop up again, but hopefully we’d put the fear of God into them and send a message they couldn’t ignore. Don’t fuck with one of us, or you fuck with all of us. While my club took care of the issue here, everyone else would handle The Inferno in their own areas.
I’d spent nearly every fucking night wide awake, smelling Meg on my sheets, and worrying if she was safe. I should have changed them, but something had held me back. I hadn’t wanted to lose that last little bit of my connection to her. I knew there were people here who could tell me her location, but short of torturing it out of my own men and those who had come to help, there wasn’t a damn thing I could do. Part of me had to admire that they were protecting her, but I wanted to be the one to keep her safe.
She’d been gone three nights before I realized how much I missed her. The way she sang as she cleaned and cooked, her scent, the sweet smile she always gave me, and the feel of her in my arms. We’d only had that one night together, but it was enough for me to know that I didn’t want another woman. I’d fucked up, pushed her away and made her feel unwelcome. Now I was paying the price, and so was she. This was her home and I’d driven her out of here into the unknown.
“Pres, need your head in the game,” Jackal said softly as we stared at the building we were about to attack.
I tried to shake thoughts of Meg from my mind. Jackal was right. I needed to focus or I’d get people killed, possibly even myself. Then who would keep Meg safe? Once this was over, I was going after her. One way or another, I’d get someone to tell me her location. I needed to make things right with her, tell her that I missed her, needed her, and I had to hope that she’d agree to come home where she belonged. Not just at the compound, but under my roof and in my bed.
“Everyone remember what they’re supposed to do?” I asked, looking at the men with me. Everyone nodded, and I motioned to proceed.
I crouched as I slowly made my way toward the house, my gun drawn. The safety was already off and I was prepared to fire when necessary. Havoc hunkered down under a window on one side of the house, and Scratch did the same on the other. They tossed smoke bombs inside, and as I’d hoped would happen, the men inside ran out.
Just one problem. There weren’t nearly as many of them as there had been when we’d done our recon. Where the fuck were the others? I circled the building and checked the perimeter. Jackal, Cobra, and Irish crept into the house, protective gear over their faces and their bodies. I heard shots fired and wanted to rush inside, but the smoke hadn’t cleared. More shots and then silence. My men came out, not a mark on them. Irish removed the mask over his face and his gaze met and held mine.
“Pres, we have a problem.”
“What is it?” I asked.
“There are pictures inside on the walls. They know where Meg went, and I think they sent men after her,” Irish said. “There’s shots of her at one of the Reckless Kings’ compounds. I don’t know how they found her, but we need to find out. If there’s another rat, better to know now. Looks like they used a telephoto lens so no telling how far or how close they were when the pictures were taken.”
I scanned the men with me, my hand still gripping my gun tightly. Movement in the trees caught my attention and I took off. Whoever was out there, they were moving fast and with purpose. I was getting too damn old for this shit, but I pushed myself, refusing to back down and let the man escape. I fired off a few shots and hit him in the leg. It slowed him enough that I was able to tackle him to the ground. After a few fists to the face, the man just groaned and didn’t fight back.
“Where are the others?” I demanded.
He spat at me. “Not telling you shit.”
I smashed my fist into his jaw again. “Where. The. Fuck. Are. They?”
He grinned, blood coating his teeth. “Going after your whore.”
My body tensed and I went ice cold. The fucker just grinned up at me like he hadn’t a care in the world.
“Boss has plans for her,” he said, then bucked his hips a few times. “Lots of plans.”
A red haze covered my vision and the next few minutes passed in a blur. The next thing I knew, Havoc was prying me off the man who was now covered in blood, both eyes blackened and swelling, his nose broken, and a few teeth missing.
“Easy, Cinder,” Havoc said. “If you kill him, then we can’t get information from him. Think of Meg.”
I growled and tried to get to him again, but Havoc refused to let go. I’d beat that fucker to death if he thought for one second he was going to hurt Meg. I knew exactly what he’d meant. They were going to rape her before they sold her, and I wasn’t about to let that shit happen.
Havoc turned his head and yelled over his shoulder. “Tie him up and get him to the compound. We’ll find out what he knows. Someone call Reckless Kings and give them a heads-up.”
“On it,” Phantom said.
Scratch moved up beside us and placed a hand on my shoulder. I met his gaze and the compassion I saw there was enough to deflate some of my fury. They were going to hurt my Meg. I hadn’t thought I wanted her, hadn’t wanted to keep any woman, but she’d slipped beneath my defenses and now I couldn’t imagine a world without her in it.
“We’ll save her,” Scratch said. “She’ll be back with you where she belongs.”
“‘Bout fucking time,” Havoc muttered before he released me.
Phantom moved closer and cleared his throat. “Um, Pres. The Reckless Kings aren’t answering. She’s at their Tennessee compound, or she was. What do you want to do?”
“Get answers from the asshole that was just hauled away,” I said. “Then I’m going after Meg, wherever she may be.”
We walked back to our bikes and rode to our compound. When I cleared the gates, I kept going. Unlike the barn the Dixie Reapers kept at the back of their place, and the shithole we’d had at our old compound, I’d put in an underground dungeon of sorts. It was well hidden by what appeared to be an innocuous building, a warehouse where we kept extra stock of basic shit like toilet paper, paper towels, and anything else the clubhouse might need. Or so it would look to anyone who decided to snoop. Nothing incriminating.
I activated the hidden compartment in the floor and the door slid open. As I descended the stairs, I could hear the asshole we’d captured cussing everyone out. The underground area encompassed a space big enough for three cells, and a special room that Havoc liked to call his torture chamber. Except this time, he wouldn’t be the one dealing with the trash we’d hauled home.
The man had been stripped of his clothes and strapped to a chair over a drain. One wall and a table were filled with different tools Havoc liked to use when negotiating with prisoners. The idiot just grinned at me, a wild look in his nearly shut eyes as if he didn’t fear a damn thing. And maybe he was so batshit crazy that he really didn’t. No one sane would ever join The Inferno. When we’d done our recon, we’d only seen Prospects and some hang arounds who were hoping to have that honor. But this guy… he was a patched member, and I’d felt like I’d won the damn lottery. The slippery bastards hadn’t come this close before, always sending the minions to do their dirty work.
“You’re going to tell me what you know about Meg,” I said.
“I ain’t telling you shit,” the man said.
“Oh, you’ll tell me.”
I started stripping off my clothes until I was only in my boxers. No sense getting blood on my clothes and ruining them. The man scanned me, his eyes landing on the tattoo on my bicep. It was the first sign of hesitation I’d seen in his eyes. Whoever he was, he now knew what I’d done for my country. I wasn’t just a Marine. I’d been part of a special team, the kind you didn’t fuck with and live to tell the tale.
“They said you were just some old man,” he muttered.
“You really think some old man could hold my position in this club as long as I have?”
“Still not saying anything.”
“Oh you will. I have all the time in the world.”
The leer he sent my way made my blood chill in my veins.
“You might. Your precious whore doesn’t,” he said, then cackled. “She’s gonna be broken in real well, then a special buyer has won the pleasure of her company.”
I took several deep breaths and tried to lock down all the shit brewing in my mind and my soul. I couldn’t help Meg if I let my emotions rule me. I hadn’t been the best at what I’d done by being sloppy. I cleared everything from my head and focused on the man in the chair.
I walked over to the wall and table of various instruments and picked up a set of pliers. When I approached the man, he just smirked, not a fear in the world. Or someone else would have thought. I saw the look in his eyes, saw what he tried to hide from everyone else, but I wasn’t fooled. He was about two seconds from pissing himself. I moved to the side, in case he did exactly that, and gripped the hand fastened to the arm of the chair. One at a time, I pulled off his fingernails. The man’s jaw tightened and his body tensed, but he didn’t give me the satisfaction of hearing his screams.
I tossed the pliers aside, knowing that anything I used would need to be cleaned before it was put away. I picked up a small knife with a blade so dull you’d have to saw through whatever you wanted to cut. Making sure the asshole saw it, I went to work. Took some doing, but I carved off his nipples, enjoying the sound of his screams and the begging he did.
“There’s only one way to end this quicker,” I said. “You’re not getting out of here alive, but you can die faster. Tell me where to find Meg and how you fucking found her to begin with. Reckless Kings aren’t answering the phones.”
“My club diverted their attention,” he said.
I threw the knife to the side and picked up one a bit sharper, then started making shallow cuts. After the fourth swipe, he whimpered and begged for a reprieve.
“Then tell me everything,” I said.
“Your girl was left with only five men protecting her. The Inferno went in and captured her. The men who took her weren’t as sneaky as they thought. The Inferno has eyes everywhere. Just because we didn’t snatch her off the road didn’t mean we had no idea where she’d been taken. A bunch of bikers surrounding a blacked-out SUV? Didn’t take a genius to figure out precious cargo was on board, especially with multiple clubs guarding it.”
“And the men with her?” I asked.
“Left for dead.”
I glanced at Havoc and he stepped away, pulling his phone from his pocket. I wanted to go make sure those men were okay, but I needed more information. He’d said that The Inferno had taken Meg, but not where.
“Your whore is locked up tight,” he said after a few more slices along his stomach. “They want to make a deal.”
“Deal?” I asked.
“You turn yourself over to them and they won’t sell your girl. Without a president over Devil’s Boneyard, this territory will be easy to take over.” He blinked and I could tell that he was close to passing out from the pain I’d inflicted.
“And Meg goes free?” I asked.
He gave a humorless laugh. “Not a chance. She’s going to be well fucked, if they haven’t started already. But she won’t be sold to The Butcher.”
“Butcher?” I asked.
“Man overseas. He breaks them down, makes sure they have no hope left, and then the carnage starts. Broadcasts it, takes bids on what happens to her. Highest bid wins.”
I wanted to throw up, but I held it together. I had to save Meg, one way or another. If I turned myself over to The Inferno, maybe it would buy some time for someone else to get Meg out of there. Right now, I didn’t give a shit what happened to me. I’d lived a long life, and I’d had an amazing woman in my arms even if it was just the one night. But Meg had her entire life ahead of her.
“Where do I go?” I asked.
“Map is in my pants pocket,” he said. “Go alone or she suffers even more.”
I glanced at Havoc who was already pulling the paper out. He glanced at it before handing it over, and I knew he’d memorized the location with that one look. It was one of the things he did best.
“Kill him,” I said. “But not too fast.”
He nodded and I heard the man screaming as I gathered my clothes and went back upstairs to the warehouse area. There was a small bathroom up there and I quickly rinsed off before tossing my bloody boxers in the trash and pulling my clothes on. When I went to get on my bike, Scratch placed a hand on my arm.
“We’re going to come for you,” he said. “Both of you.”
I glanced at the phone in his hand and knew he’d activated the cameras down there and seen and heard everything. I gave him a nod, not really caring one way or another if they saved me, as long as Meg made it out of there alive. I got on my bike and didn’t stop riding until I’d pulled up to the gates at the place on the map. Despite the long hours to reach my destination, I hadn’t dared stop for more than gas along the way, not wanting to leave Meg waiting another moment. Men immediately surrounded me, cuffing my hands and shoving me to my knees.
A gun was placed against the back of my head but I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of hearing me beg, or of closing my eyes. I’d been through too much shit in my life to be weak now. A whimper drew my attention and my head whipped in that direction. One of the brutes had Meg held tightly in front of him. Her clothes were dirty and torn, but she seemed to be in one piece. Her gaze met and held mine, and my heart nearly stalled in my chest.
“Don’t make her watch,” I said. “If you’re going to kill me, then do it, but don’t make her witness it.”
“Aww. So sweet,” the asshole with the gun said. “Bring the whore over here.”
Meg was shoved forward, then forced to the ground in front of me. Tears slid down her cheeks as she reached out, her hands shaking.
“Tell him, bitch,” her captor said, giving her a shove so that she fell against me.
It felt good to have her hands on me, and part of me was happy I’d gotten to see her one last time. I just hoped they wouldn’t make her stay while they executed me. The man smacked her in the back of the head.
“I said tell him,” he demanded again.
“Cinder, I…” She licked her lips and gave me a pleading look. “I love you.”
The man smacked her harder. “That wasn’t what you were supposed to tell him, you stupid cunt.”
More tears trailed down her cheeks.
“Whatever it is, Meg, it’s okay. I’m sorry I pushed you away. I’m sorry for everything, and I don’t want you to think any of this is your fault.”
“I’m pregnant,” she said softly. “The baby is yours.”
The men around us laughed. It felt like the earth had been jerked out from under me and I was free-falling. Pregnant? Meg was carrying my kid? I dropped my gaze to her still flat belly and tried to imagine her swollen with my child.
“I didn’t lie,” she said. “I really thought I couldn’t have children.”
“What… How?” I asked.
“The Colombians were dosing me with birth control and I didn’t know it. The injections stopped after you saved me. I was never infertile. I’m so sorry.”
“Meg, you have nothing to be sorry for,” I said. I swallowed hard, knowing that I needed to tell her. It might be the last thing I ever got to say to her. “I love you, sweetheart. I should have never pushed you away.”
She wrapped her arms around my waist and cried against me. I wanted to comfort her, but with my arms shackled behind my back it was hopeless. I rubbed my cheek against hers, trying to give her at least a little comfort.
“Any last requests?” the man behind me asked, pressing the gun tighter to my head.
“Can we have one more night together?” she pleaded. “If you’re going to kill us, can we at least have that?”
One of them grabbed his crotch. “Oh, you’re precious. You aren’t going to die. I have first dibs on fucking you. Every man here will have you, over and over.”
She paled and pressed her lips together, then her gaze met and held mine. I saw the resolve there, the determination, and I knew she’d try to survive anything if for no other reason than our child was growing inside of her. She’d told me before she didn’t want to live if she faced this kind of life again, but I knew that baby was a game changer. I couldn’t tell her that Havoc was coming, that the club would rescue her. I didn’t want to alert The Inferno to anything.
“One night, bitch. Then you belong to us and this fucker dies,” one of the men said.
Meg and I were hauled to our feet and shoved down a dirt path. There was a concrete building ahead of us, and when they pushed us inside I saw that it was a single cell with a mattress on the floor and a bucket in the corner.
Someone removed the cuffs on my wrists and threw a blanket onto the bed. I didn’t know why they were offering us that one piece of comfort, but I wouldn’t argue. The only thing that made a little sense was that they planned to use it against Meg in some way after they took my life. The thought of Meg lying on that stained mattress made my stomach turn. Who knew what fluids had been spilled there. I doubted those who had found themselves in these accommodations were overly hygienic.
“When the sun rises, she goes into service and you die,” one of the men said.
The door slammed shut and I heard a bolt being thrown to lock us in. There was a dim light overhead and no windows. The place smelled and it was the least romantic spot ever, but Meg threw herself into my arms, not seeming to care.
“You told me to stay at your house so I’d be safe, and I didn’t listen,” she said. “Now I’ve put our baby in danger.”
“Not your fault,” I said. If I was going to die tomorrow, I didn’t want her feeling guilty for any of this. I was the one who had been an asshole to her. If the blame lay anywhere, it was at my feet.
I set her away from me and spread the blanket over the mattress, thankful it was thick and smelled like detergent. At least it would be clean. I held my hand out to Meg, then wrapped my arms around her waist, kissing her softly. If all we had was this one night, then I wanted to make it a happy memory for her.
“Did you mean it when you asked them for one more night with me?” I asked. “Or were you just stalling?”
“I want you,” she said. “I know this isn’t exactly a five-star hotel, but the fact we’re together is enough.”
I placed my lips against her ear and dropped my voice low enough no one could hear, even if microphones or cameras were planted in here. It would only look like I was nibbling on her ear and getting her in the mood. I had no doubt that once she was rescued, Shade would make sure any video footage was wiped.
“They’re coming, Meg. You’ll be rescued tomorrow.”
She looked up at me, her lips parting, but I kissed her before she could ask anything. Despite our situation, my cock hardened in my jeans. I slowly removed her clothes, then my own. There wasn’t a place for my cut, so it dropped to the dirty floor with everything else. Nothing mattered right now except the woman in my arms.
I laid her down on the blanket, then covered her with my body. I trailed my lips along the column of her neck, rubbing my beard against her soft skin. Her fingers slid through my hair and her thighs cradled my hips. I worked my way down, sucking and nipping at her breasts before spreading her open wide and dragging my tongue along her folds. She whimpered and arched her back.
“Cinder,” she said, sounding breathless. “I missed you.”
“Not Cinder right now, sweetheart. It’s just us, and what did I tell you to call me when we’re alone?” If anyone learned my name at this point, it wouldn’t much matter. Once I was dead, the name Vincent wouldn’t mean shit to anyone but Meg.
I hadn’t realized until just then how much I wanted to hear her say my name. My real name. To everyone else I was Cinder. Meg was special. She was mine even if only for a few more hours. I knew that once Havoc and the others came to save her that they would protect her and my kid. She’d never want for anything. It was about all that kept me together right now. Otherwise I’d be losing my shit. Even though there was a chance they would get here before I died in the morning, I couldn’t count on it. My men were good, but I didn’t doubt for a second The Inferno would come for me once they knew the Devils had breached their territory. I’d do everything in my power to protect Meg until I drew my last breath.
“Vincent,” she said, her gaze holding mine.
As I looked at Meg, I wondered how I could have ever been so stupid as to think I didn’t need her, didn’t want her, or love her. My heart swelled with everything I felt in that moment, and I wished that we had a million more nights together. Instead, I’d have to make this one good enough to last her a lifetime.
“I…” She stopped and bit her lip. “I wanted you to know that no one’s touched me since our last time together. They scared me and threatened to make me service all of them. Even before you got here they were saying vile things to me. I didn’t want you to worry that they’d hurt me.”
I rose over her body, running my fingers through her hair. Even now, when she faced an uncertain future, she was still trying to protect me. I’d never met anyone as incredible as Meg, as giving and loving. I couldn’t believe I’d wasted so much time. If I’d tried to get closer to her sooner, then we could have had a year of happy memories. Instead, I’d been a dick to her time and again, allowing her to stay yet making it clear I didn’t care either way. Until the day I’d run her off with my careless words.
“I would give anything to have kept you out of their hands,” I said. “I promised you were safe when you came home with us from Colombia. It seems I’ve broken that promise.”
She placed her fingers over my lips. “You gave me more than I thought I’d ever have. And now we’re going to have a baby together. There’s no greater gift than that.”
“The club will take care of you,” I said.
She shook her head, tears gathering in her eyes again.
“Meg, you have to listen. I’m a realist, sweetheart. There’s no way they’re letting me walk out of here.”
A sob caught in her throat and I pressed my lips to hers. “Always remember that you were loved, so damn much. I’m just an old fool who was too stupid to tell you sooner.”
“I love you,” she said, her voice breaking.
I wanted to make the moment perfect for her, but I also knew that wasn’t necessarily what she needed right now. I could make her scream in pleasure, but I thought she needed the same connection I was craving. With our gazes locked, I eased inside of her. Even though I’d hardly done more than kiss her, she was so damn wet. I made love to her slowly, savoring every second. Every stroke of my cock had me grinding my pelvic bone against her, pressing against her clit. Meg gripped my shoulders, never looking away from me. Her eyes remained open and all the passion and love I saw in them made my heart pound in my chest.
I felt her pussy tighten on me. She was close.
“Come for me, Meg.”
Her thighs locked against my hips as I drove into her, taking her harder and faster. She tossed her head back, but as she shattered, coating me with her cream, her gaze found mine again. I didn’t stop, didn’t slow, and managed to hold off my own orgasm until she’d come at least once more. I filled her with my cum, my cock jerking with my release, and I couldn’t resist the sweetness of her lips another second. I kissed her thoroughly, trying to show her everything I was feeling.
Neither of us could sleep, not even after that. We talked for a while, and made love three more times before the sun started coming in under the door. My arms tightened around Meg, knowing that it was almost time. I didn’t know how to prepare her for what would happen soon. I only hoped she didn’t try to save me like she had the night of her birthday. If Meg got hurt in an effort to protect me, it would gut me. As long as she was safe, I could face my death without any fear, even though I’d have a ton of regrets.
I heard the bolt being slid and pressed my lips to her temple, thankful I’d insisted we both get dressed an hour ago. I closed my eyes and breathed her in, letting her scent calm me.
“I love you, Meg. Always remember that.”
She clutched at me, but one of The Inferno members threw open the door and dragged me away from her. Meg cried and reached for me, but I gave her a quick shake of my head.
“Be brave, my sweet girl.” I smiled at her as the man shoved me to my knees. “Close your eyes, Meg. Don’t watch.”
She sobbed and scrambled across the floor toward me, throwing herself into my arms. I held her a moment, savoring the feel of her, and then gently pushed her away. I gave a nod toward the bed and she backed away. As she sank onto the mattress, I watched her take a shuddering breath and close her eyes. The tears streaking her cheeks made my heart ache.
I felt the gun press against the back of my head, and I kept my eyes on Meg, wanting to see her beauty until the last moment. The hammer cocked and I took a breath, ready for what came next. Except the blast of a gun wasn’t the one against my head. Meg screamed and her body jerked, but I was focused on The Inferno member collapsing on the floor next to me, a hole through his head and blood pooling on the concrete floor.
I looked over my shoulder to see Renegade grinning at me.
“Miss me?” he asked.
“Fucking Christ,” I muttered as I stood.
“Nope, not Jesus. Though I am your savior today.” He winked and I shook my head at his nonsense.
I heard Meg gasp and I looked over at her. She was pale, too damn pale, but she gave a cry and came running toward me. I wrapped her in my arms and cradled her close.
“I’m fine, honey. Renegade got here in time to save both of us,” I said.
“Pres, I suggest we get the fuck out of here,” he said. “We have a full crew here cleaning house, but in case there are any stragglers, I’d prefer to get the two of you to safety.”
I lifted Meg into my arms and carried her, following Renegade who had to shoot two more men along the way. I saw one of the club trucks idling outside the gates and I climbed into the backseat. Renegade got behind the wheel, but didn’t say anything. Meg remained in my lap, crying softly as I tried to soothe her fears. It had been close. Really fucking close.
“I’m going to need a status report,” I said.
“Our family, Reckless Kings, and their allies are rounding up the last of The Inferno members and hopefuls. By nightfall, all those fuckers should be in the ground or burned to a crisp,” Renegade said.
“Take us home. I’m ready for a shower, some hot food, and then I just want some quiet time with my woman,” I said.
I saw Renegade smirk in the rearview mirror. “You got it, Pres. Someone will get your bike home for you.”
I held Meg close and shut my eyes. I’d nearly lost my life today, nearly left behind the woman I loved and our kid, all because we had a fucking rat in our club. From now on, anyone who wanted to join would have to more than prove themselves before they even put on a Prospect cut. I was sick of this shit, and too damn old for it.
“Hey, Pres,” Renegade said softly. “Sorry you didn’t get to take them all out.”
“As long as they’re dead, I don’t care who did it. The only thing that matters is that our women and kids are safe.”
I placed my hand over Meg’s belly and thought about the baby growing inside her. My life was about to drastically change, but for once, the thought of a kid running around my house didn’t scare the shit out of me.