Spider (Hades Abyss MC 1)

Harley Wylde

All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2019 Harley Wylde

BIN: 008908-02881
Formats Available:
Adobe PDF, Epub
Mobi/PRC

Publisher:
Changeling Press LLC
315 N. Centre St.
Martinsburg, WV 25404
www.ChangelingPress.com

Editor: Crystal Esau
Cover Artist: Bryan Keller

Adult Sexual Content

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Legal File Usage -- Your Rights

Payment of the download fee for this book grants the purchaser the right to download and read this file, and to maintain private backup copies of the file for the purchaser’s personal use only.

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this or any copyrighted work is illegal. Authors are paid on a per-purchase basis. Any use of this file beyond the rights stated above constitutes theft of the author’s earnings. File sharing is an international crime, prosecuted by the United States Department of Justice, Division of Cyber Crimes, in partnership with Interpol. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is punishable by seizure of computers, up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 per reported instance.

Table of Contents

Spider (Hades Abyss MC 1)

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Epilogue

Disclaimer

Harley Wylde

Spider (Hades Abyss MC 1)

Harley Wylde

Luciana -- All I’ve known is pain and suffering at the hands of men -- even from my father, a man who was supposed to love and protect me. I’ve survived, nothing less and nothing more. When I’m dropped off with a club of bikers, I figure it’s more of the same. I’ll do as I’m told, make sure I please them, and hope one day I’ll find a way to escape. There is only one thing that could ever break me, and I’m scared of what will happen when the club learns my secret. Will they return me to my father? Or will I be used to broker yet another deal?

It never occurred to me the President of Hades Abyss would be my salvation, or that I would fall in love with him. I never knew men could be honorable and kind. He’s all gruff and domineering, but under that rough exterior I can see the heart of gold he tries to hide.

Spider -- Assassin Casper VanHorne, Picasso of wet work and pain in my ass, has asked my club to take in two Colombian princesses. Well, he didn’t use the term princesses, but I have no doubt they’ll be spoiled little bitches. The first time I see Luciana and her sister, I think I’ve got them pegged just right -- until I look in Luciana’s eyes and see the fear she’s trying to hide. Something isn’t right. I know it deep in my gut.

I never once thought a woman nearly forty years younger than me could ever captivate me, but the more I get to know her, the more Luciana holds me spellbound. I didn’t want to fall in love, didn’t want a woman in my life… but sometimes the Fates know better than a mere mortal man, and Luciana is exactly what I need. When her father demands her return, I vow to keep her safe. No fucking way I’ll let the sick bastards who hurt her get their hands on her again. Now that she’s mine, I’ll march into hell if need be in order to keep her by my side.

Chapter One

Spider

I had shit to do, business to handle for the club, and where the fuck was I? At the airstrip outside of town, waiting on Casper Fucking VanHorne and the little Colombian bitches I’d agreed to take in -- temporarily. I’d left out that last part, but no way were some rich little princesses going to stick around my club for long. I’d do everything in my power to run their asses out of there. I understood Casper’s reasoning behind the major favor he’d asked of my club, but it didn’t mean I had to like it.

The jet touched down and moved down the runway. When it came to a stop, I folded my arms over my chest and waited. Rocket and Fangs were with me, along with a Prospect who’d brought the SUV to transport the little divas. It seemed to take forever before they were on the ground and heading toward us. The younger one appeared terrified, her eyes wide and her hands clutched in front of her, almost as if she worried someone would jump out at her. The eldest held her shoulders back, her chin lifted at a defiant angle, but her lips were pressed tightly together. Neither appeared to be the overly confident young ladies I’d expected. Despite the bravado of the eldest, they both seemed a few seconds away from running in the opposite direction.

What the hell had I gotten myself and my club into this time? Rocket had agreed to house the younger one. We didn’t exactly have a bunch of women running around to help care for them, nor was I going to leave them unattended. Since his younger sister had lived with him until she’d passed, he’d seemed like the best choice. At least he knew how to handle a teenage girl. Rocket pushed off his bike and walked toward them, stopping in front of the youngest.

“Violeta, right?” he asked.

She nodded, her lip quivering.

“I’m Rocket. You’ll be staying with me. Do you speak English?”

“Yes.” Her voice was soft and slightly accented. “I will be good to you.”

Rocket frowned and looked at me, but I didn’t know what the fuck she was talking about. Maybe her English wasn’t as great as she thought. I just shrugged and waited on the older one to reach me.

“Luciana, I’m Spider,” I said.

“I know who you are. I’ve been informed I’ll be living in your house.”

“Yes. I have a room set up for you. Where’s your shit?” She stared at me blankly. “Your clothes? Shoes? Jewelry or whatever the fuck else women pack when they move?”

She shrugged a shoulder. “Our father didn’t deem it necessary to send us with more than an overnight bag. We each have two changes of clothes.”

“Casper,” I said, a bit of growl to my voice as I stared at the man responsible for this shitstorm. “What the fuck?”

“I’ll provide each of them with a shopping allowance to buy the necessities. After that, they’re your problem.” Casper arched a brow, as if daring me to utter a word of complaint. “Once my jet is refueled, I have someplace to be.”

There was a flash of fear in Luciana’s eyes, but I tried to dismiss it -- and the tightening in my gut. There was something incredibly wrong, but I couldn’t quite figure it out. I would in time, but right this moment, I needed to get these two home and settled. Rocket curved his arm around the smaller of the two and led her over to the SUV, leaning down to speak to her.

If Luciana needed coddling, she’d have to get it elsewhere. I waved my hand and she started to follow Rocket and her sister. The Prospect grabbed their small bags and loaded them into the SUV.

Fangs folded his arms and watched them. “Something’s off. Like really fucking off.”

I completely agreed, and I didn’t like it. Casper hadn’t made it a secret that he had plans for Mateo Gomez, the girls father, and was merely playing nice for now. Didn’t mean I wanted my club mixed up in this shit, but with the promise of a favor from the notorious assassin, I couldn’t exactly say no. With some of the shit my club dealt with, having a guy like Casper VanHorne at your back could mean the difference in coming back home on your own two legs or in a body bag. But as I watched the two young women get into the SUV, saw the haunted look in their eyes, I had to wonder just what the fuck was going on.

The Prospect climbed into the SUV once the women were secure, and he waited while the rest of us mounted our bikes. I took point with Fangs, and Rocket pulled up at the rear. I didn’t expect trouble, and yet I was always cautious, even in my own damn town. The compound was just outside the city limits, a few minutes down a two-lane highway. This part of Missouri didn’t get a lot of traffic, but after my son was in an accident along with a Dixie Reaper and the Reaper’s woman, I’d learned not to trust even those who lived near the compound. Anyone could be bought for the right price, except my officers. I’d trust them with my life, along with the other patched members of my club.

As we approached the gates to the compound, our newest Prospect, a kid who was quickly proving himself, let us in with a wave. Teller Reed was a good kid once you got through the tough skin he’d grown in order to survive. I had high hopes for him, and since he’d asked to prospect I’d seen a lot of improvement. We’d make a man of him, eventually.

The Hades Abyss compound had changed a bit over the years. After seeing the setup at the Dixie Reapers and Devil’s Boneyard, I’d decided to improve a few things. Most of the homes had been small before, but now all officers had large houses. We’d also added a pool and picnic area, even though none of us had families. I’d seen the look in a few of the men’s eyes and knew they’d settle down if they found the right woman. We’d all been hardcore bachelors long enough. Not to mention the family-oriented area was nice when my son visited with my grandson.

Fangs went straight to the clubhouse, but the rest of us continued farther into the compound. We took the winding road toward my home and I pulled into the carport. I shut off my bike and waited as Luciana got out of the SUV. The Prospect, Marcus, grabbed her bag and waited for instructions. He’d only been with us about eight months, but he showed promise.

“Put her bag in the guest room,” I said with a nudge of my chin toward the front porch. Marcus hastened to obey while I studied Luciana.

Her hair was pulled up on top of her head in a messy knot, and she didn’t have so much as a speck of makeup on her face. She was young. Really damn young, even though I’d been assured she was twenty-one. That made her forty years younger than me. I was old enough to be her fucking grandfather. It was complete insanity to have agreed to this nonsense.

“Go on inside, girl. One of the club girls picked up some bedding she thought would be appropriate. Just look for the purple room and that one’s yours.”

She gave a slight nod and hurried inside.

When Marcus came back outside, I held up a hand to stop him. He watched me, but his gaze flicked to the SUV a few times. I knew he was curious about the girls and wondered why they were here. While every patched member of the club knew the score, the Prospects only knew the girls would be staying here for a bit.

“They say anything on the way here?” I asked.

“No. The younger one cried a lot. I’ve never questioned the club, or you, Pres, but this doesn’t feel right.”

“Something is strange with this deal for sure, but I don’t know what just yet. In the meantime, treat the girls like guests. Not like club whores. Spread the word to the other Prospects too. These two aren’t a damn thing like what I’d expected.”

He gave a quick nod, then rushed over to the SUV. Rocket led the way, and I sighed as I looked at my house. It had been a nice quiet sanctuary, and now there was a woman inside. A stranger. A girl I’d thought would be entitled and spoiled, but who seemed more scared than anything else. It made me wonder exactly what their father had told them. Or Casper for that matter. Did they have any idea why they were here?

I made my way inside and went straight to the kitchen. I shook my head as I looked at the damn fancy coffeemaker Laken had insisted on giving me this past Christmas. It had taken me weeks to figure the fucking thing out. If I hadn’t been worried about hurting her feelings, I’d have stashed it and just used my simple one with an on/off switch. Who needed all the bells and whistles on a coffeemaker? AlthoughI had to admit being able to set a timer was nice when I had a set schedule in the morning. I liked walking downstairs to a fresh pot of coffee.

I brewed a pot, then sat at the table to enjoy it. I had a feeling I might need something a lot stronger if I was going to tackle the issue of Luciana and Violeta. Had the third girl arrived at the Dixie Reapers’ compound yet? I wondered what Torch thought of all this. I could call and ask, or I could wait for Luciana and ask her myself what the fuck was going on. As fearful as Violeta seemed, and given her odd comment, it made me think things were about to go sideways with this deal.

I finished my cup and poured another. As I reclaimed my seat, Luciana came downstairs, her tread soft on the staircase. She froze in the kitchen doorway when she saw me. I waited, wondering if she’d run the other way or be brave enough to come closer. I had my answer a moment later when she came farther into the room and looked at the coffeepot with longing.

“You can have a cup. They’re in the cupboard over the coffeemaker. I don’t keep creamer, but there’s regular sugar in the canister on the counter and some milk in the fridge.”

She wordlessly walked to the coffeepot and got down a mug. She filled it, then opened the fridge and pulled out the milk, staring at it a moment. Her questioning gaze met mine. Had the kid never seen milk before? Or maybe it was the fact I had to use the watered-down shit.

“I’m an old man, darlin’. I can’t stomach whole milk anymore. Even the two percent is too rough, so I only stock one percent. If you’ll give me a list of things you need, I’ll have someone pick up a few groceries.”

She added the milk to her coffee and put the carton back in the fridge. After looking around the kitchen with confusion etched on her face, I pointed to the drawer next to the stove. She walked over and slid it open, pulling out a spoon. Luciana sat next to me and stirred her coffee.

“Guess it’s a little stressful and weird to leave your home and go somewhere new,” I said.

She just stared at her cup and didn’t say anything, but I noticed her lower lip trembled a bit.

“Your dad probably has a big mansion in Colombia. I know this place isn’t a palace, but hopefully you’ll be comfortable.”

I honestly hadn’t given a shit. Until now. The more I watched her, the more certain I became things weren’t as they seemed. That fucker! Casper hadn’t made a deal with Gomez for his own merit. He’d been trying to get these girls out of Colombia. I just didn’t know why, but I would. And soon. If shit was heading my way, I wanted to be ready.

Luciana sipped her at her coffee and still didn’t say a word. I noticed her body was tense, and her hand shook a little. The girl was scared. Was it because of being somewhere new? Leaving her only home? Or was it something else, something that would likely piss me the fuck off? I shouldn’t have offered to keep her here. Anyone else would have been a better option. Hell, the girls could have shared a room at Rocket’s place, or Luciana could have stayed with Shooter or Knox. Both were a fucking lot younger than me. Maybe she worried I’d try to take advantage? She’d likely be disgusted if I made a move on her, not that I planned on it.

“Luciana, I don’t know what you think of me, and I honestly don’t give a shit. But I can assure you that I don’t take unwilling women, so if you’re worried I’ll force myself on you while you’re here, you’d be wrong.”

She audibly swallowed, and the coffee sloshed over the rim of the mug and onto the table. “You won’t have to force me. I know my place and what’s expected of me.”

What. The. Absolute. Fuck. “Come again?” I asked.

She finally met my gaze and held it for longer than a few seconds. “I’ll do as you ask. Do you want me here?”

She stood and started to unfasten her pants, and it felt like my heart was about to stop. A picture was forming in my mind, and it wasn’t pretty. I reached and placed my hand over hers, halting her movement. Not fast enough that she hadn’t already started to shove her pants down her legs, and not before I saw the marks.

With a growl, I stood fast enough my chair fell over. Fury filled me as I stared at her lower belly, right above the delicate lace trim on her panties. Slowly, I reached for her and lifted the hem of her shirt a little. Enough to see not only more marks, but to notice there was a slight roundness that was too firm to be fat. I worked her jeans down her thighs and took in the roadmap of pain that was etched into her skin.

“Who did this to you? And whose kid is in your belly?” I asked my voice harsher than I’d intended.

“My father’s men made the marks. The baby…” She licked her lips. “I don’t know.”

“Your father’s men?” I asked, my gaze lifting to hers.

“When I disobeyed, I was given to his lieutenants for punishment. They were permitted to do anything they wanted, as long as it didn’t kill me.”

“And they raped you?”

“Sometimes,” she said. “Usually they just hurt me and whored me out for a night as a reminder that I wasn’t in control of my life. That I was nothing and inconsequential.”

I closed my eyes and focused on breathing before I did something I would regret. I heard the rustle of clothes and when I looked again, Luciana was completely bare. Bile rose in my throat when I realized what she thought. Poor girl thought she’d been sent here as punishment, to be tortured and raped. And she thought I was enough of a monster to do something like that. Not that she knew a damn thing about me. I could understand, considering what she’d been through and the types of men she’d been around.

“Put your clothes on, Luciana.”

“You don’t want me?” she asked softly. “You’re going to send me back?”

“No, honey. I’m not sending you back. Never. But you’re not here to be fucked. I took you into my home because a powerful man asked for a favor. Until this moment, I didn’t understand his reasoning. I don’t think Casper wanted a fucking favor. He just wanted to make sure you and your sisters were safe.” I ran a hand down my face and turned away from her. “Put your clothes on, Luciana. Next time you’re with a man, it will be because you chose him and asked for his cock. Not because some asshole is taking what isn’t offered.”

“I don’t have to service you or the others here?” she asked, sounding confused and a little fearful.

“No, you don’t.”

“Then what am I supposed to do?”

“Whatever you’d like, Luciana. I can get you some books, you can watch TV, go for walks. If you leave the compound, you have to have someone with you. Preferably more than one. But you’re not a captive, and you’re damn sure not a whore. No one here will hurt you. Especially not me.”

She didn’t make a move to get dressed, and fuck me if I didn’t want to look. I was sick with myself over the temptation, but I was a guy who hadn’t fucked anyone in months and I had a beautiful naked woman in my kitchen. My dick didn’t seem to care that she wasn’t here willingly. I hoped like hell she didn’t notice I was getting hard. Despite the marks on her body, she was still stunning, with soft curves. I’d always been a breast man, and it was hard not to notice that hers were a perfect handful.

“Luciana. Please get dressed,” I said, hoping my tone didn’t sound as strained to her as it did to me.

“You do want me,” she said and moved closer, but I held up a hand.

“Stop. I told you. No one here will force you, and you aren’t a damn whore. Just get dressed and give me some space.”

“You’re going to protect me, yes?” she asked.

“Of course. I’m not a complete asshole.”

“And if my father comes? If he decides he wants me returned?”

“Then I’ll tell him to fuck off.” Did she honestly think I’d just hand her over to that monster?

She came even closer and I groaned as she pressed her breast against my palm. I tried to jerk my hand away, but she wrapped her fingers around my wrist.

“But if I’m yours, then he couldn’t take me, couldn’t force me to go with him,” she said. “I could be yours. Only yours.”

“Luciana.” Fuck, was that my voice? The woman was killing me. “I’m too Goddamn old for his shit. I’m probably your grandpa’s age. Let me go… and put your clothes on. I mean it, girl. There are plenty of younger men in this club if you want to convince someone to make you their old lady.”

“Old lady?” she asked, and yet she still didn’t release my fucking hand. I could have jerked it away, but I didn’t want to accidentally hurt her. And all right, so I was an asshole because I liked the feel of her breast in my hand. Satan was holding a special seat for me.

“It’s what we call the women we patch, ink, and claim. Except my club only has one, and she lives with the Dixie Reapers.”

“She’s with another group of men?” Luciana asked.

“Yes.” Damn. My voice sounded strangled even to my own ears. “My son, Ryker, lives there with her. She’s his wife. His old lady. And they have a kid together. My grandson. So see, I’m too fucking old for you, Luciana. Let me go, girl.”

She pressed my hand tighter to her breast. “Do I feel like a girl to you?”

Jesus Christ. Was she trying to kill me? I gave up my battle and turned to face her. Instead of drawing away, I pulled her against my body and ground my cock against her, letting her feel how hard I was.

“Is this what you want? You want to feel how hard I am because a naked woman is in my damn kitchen pressing herself against me? You want to hear that I think you’re beautiful, sexy, and that my dick would love to be inside you?”

She gasped and her eyes darkened, but it wasn’t with fear. Fucking hell. She seemed turned on by my words.

“I’m an old man, Luciana. I’m sixty-one years old. Forty years your senior. I have a grown-ass son who’s older than you, and a grandkid. And I got snipped so I can’t have more kids. I don’t even fuck more than once every few months. One pussy is as good as another, right? So why let some bitch think she has control over me just for the sake of sex? I’m not a nice guy. I’ve done bad shit, used women without a single thought for their feelings. I’m not the kind of man you want in your bed. I’m hard. I like control. And I take what I fucking want.”

She licked her lips and blinked up at me.

“Do you understand? Just because I won’t torture you or rape you like your father’s men, it doesn’t make me a good guy. I’m still an asshole, and I’m going straight to hell when I die. I’m not the man you need.”

“Maybe you’re exactly the man I need,” she said softly. There was a bit of hope blazing in her eyes. “If the President of the Hades Abyss claims me, then my father can’t take me away. Not without starting a war.”

“Is that what you want? My patch? My name inked on your skin to keep you safe?” I asked.

She nodded.

“You don’t have to spread your legs for that. Hell, I probably won’t live much longer anyway. I’m surprised a bullet hasn’t taken me out already. You want to be my old lady, fine. But it’s in name only. You don’t have to offer up your pussy in exchange.”

“If I’m yours, but you fuck someone else, your men will know. And they’ll laugh at me. They won’t respect me and will think you don’t want me.”

“Sweetheart, you can pretend all you want, but there’s no way you want an old guy between your legs. My balls are silver-haired and wrinkled. While I still have a head of hair, the muscles I used to have diminished over time.”

She didn’t look convinced, and I knew I was damning myself for what I was about to do, but she needed to see. I needed to prove to her that she really didn’t want me. I didn’t delude myself. The young whores who spread their legs for me at the clubhouse did it because they wanted to be with the President of the club, wanted bragging rights and maybe some security. They weren’t the least bit turned on by my body. If Luciana wanted security, I’d give it to her. But she didn’t have to fuck me for it.

I stepped away and pulled off my cut, laying in the kitchen table, then jerked my shirt over my head. She stared and reached out, brushing her fingers across the silver hairs on my chest. I still had some muscle, but I wasn’t ripped like the younger guys, not like I’d been once upon a time. Just the last three or four years, I’d noticed that it was a hell of a lot harder to maintain any sort of definition. My six-pack wasn’t hard as granite anymore and had nearly vanished. I was fit, but I wasn’t as bulky as the other guys.

She trailed her fingers down my arm, pausing to trace my tattoos. When she reached for my belt, I didn’t stop her. I’d let her look. No way she’d desire me, not a pretty young thing like her. She worked my belt loose, and then unfastened my pants. Luciana pushed them down my hips, then tugged my boxers down. My dick was hard and upright, the head angry and red, but I wasn’t going to make a move on her.

She studied me, reaching out to cup my balls. My eyes slammed shut as I tried to control myself. Fuck but that felt good. She rolled them, squeezed a little, then wrapped her fingers around my shaft. I opened my eyes and looked down at her. Age had taken me from over six feet to more like six feet even, but she was so damn tiny I was still about a foot taller than her.

“Do you know what I see?” she asked.

“An old, randy bastard who needs to keep his dick to himself?” I asked with an arched eyebrow.

“I see a man who has given much to his club, a man who has protected not only those who serve him but also his blood family. I see a man who didn’t take me when he could have, a man who tried to push me away and do the right thing. I don’t care if you claim to have done bad things. Spider, you’re an honorable man when it counts.”

“You see all that, huh?” I asked with a bit of amusement, and a smidge of embarrassment. No one had ever said shit like that to me before.

“I see a man strong enough to stand up to others, a man who commands the respect of others. And this cock?” she asked, looking down as she stroked me. “It’s thick and long. Beautiful. This cock? It doesn’t scare me.”

I didn’t know what the fuck to say to that. But if she kept stroking me, I was going to come all over her hand. It had been too fucking long since I’d been with a woman. When she dropped to her knees, my heart stalled and I reached for her, intent on stopping her, but my hand froze and my body locked from shock as her lips closed over the head of my dick.

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

Chapter Two

Luciana

I’d never had a man push me away and not take what I offered. What I’d been told to offer. Not once had I ever been tempted to be with a man just because I wanted him. I’d never felt desire, not since my father’s lieutenants punished me the first time. I’d been fifteen and a virgin. After that night, I learned what sorts of monsters lived in this world, and that my father was one of them. He’d watched as they violated me, listened to me scream and cry for help, and had done nothing but stare at me with a cold gaze.

I shoved those memories aside as I stared at Spider’s cock. I’d been terrified when I stepped off the jet, worried that my life would be just as bad here, if not worse. I didn’t know this man, had never heard of him until Mr. VanHorne had said I would live with Spider. I’d done exactly as I’d been told, and I’d offered myself to him. Even stripped off my clothes and prepared to do whatever he wanted. And he’d rejected me. Not because he didn’t find me pretty, but because he had honor and hadn’t wanted to force himself on me.

I licked my lips and leaned forward, taking his cock into my mouth. He was salty with a hint of musk, but I decided I rather liked it. I heard him mutter a few curses and his body was so damn tight, but he didn’t pull away. Placing my hand on his hip, I drew him closer as I swallowed his cock, urging him to fuck my mouth. At first, I’d only wanted his name as protection. But now that I’d seen the horror in his gaze over what had been done to me, and his adamant refusal to touch me, I knew that he was a good man. Honest. Decent. And I needed that. If I were ever to completely belong to someone, I wanted it to be a man like Spider.

I licked and sucked, and it wasn’t long before I felt his fingers loosen my bun and sift through my hair as it tumbled down my back. Spider groaned and I chanced peering up at him. His gaze burned bright with lust and wonder as he stared at me, watched as I took his cock as far as I could.

“Luciana.”

The way he said my name gave me goose bumps. It was almost reverent, and I wanted to hear him say it again. I pressed on his hip, urging him to take what he wanted, but he seemed content to let me do the work. I didn’t know if he worried he would scare me, but the man in front of me no longer made me fear for my future. It was insane that I could trust him so fast, but I’d stared evil in the face every day of my life. And this man wasn’t evil. Controlled. Definitely an alpha. But he had a good heart.

Spider was a protector, the type of man I’d dreamed about, yet thought didn’t truly exist.

His cock swelled and he groaned again. “Gonna come, pretty girl. Better pull off.”

I glared up at him in defiance and sucked harder, hollowing my cheeks, and was rewarded a moment later with the hot splash of his cum. He thrust a few times, filling my mouth and throat with his essence, and I swallowed it down. A shudder raked his body as he pressed deep, his silver hair brushing my lips as his cock twitched and softened. I gave him a few more sucks before releasing him.

He might not have the body of a twenty-year old boy, but things like a chiseled abdomen would fade over time. The scars I noticed along his torso spoke of a man strong enough to survive. Like me. I’d survived, but now I wanted to live, and I wanted him to show me how.

“You didn’t have to do that,” he said.

I rose to my feet and hesitated, but he opened his arms and I went to him willingly. I placed my cheek against his chest, over his heart, and felt it thumping hard. No one had ever held me, not since I was a little girl. Not in tenderness anyway. It had been so long since anyone other than my sisters had hugged me, since anyone had shown true affection. My eyes misted with tears and I held on tighter.

My sisters. If Spider was a good man, then it meant Violeta and Sofia were likely with honorable men, too. We were safe. For now.

“I mean it, Luciana. Sex isn’t part of the agreement. I’ll claim you, but I don’t expect you to be in my bed. You can keep your room, live your life. I only ask that if you decide to sleep with another man that you’re discreet and don’t get knocked-up. It’s no secret I’ve been snipped so any baby other than the one you carry now, the men would know you’d been with someone else.”

My body tensed and I pulled back to look at him. “Why? I get a free pass to fuck anyone so you can do that same? Was I so terrible at sucking your cock?”

He shut his eyes a moment and when he opened them again, I saw a hint of tenderness, something I doubted he showed many people. The man I’d first seen at the airstrip, the tough alpha, the stoic guy who looked hard and tough, was likely the side he showed the world. But this man, the one looking down at me now, it almost felt like this side of him was just for me.

“No. That’s not why, and you know damn well I liked that. I won’t make you feel like a whore, Luciana. I don’t want you to feel obligated to --”

I pressed my fingers to his lips and swallowed hard. I reached down and gripped his hand, then placed it between my thighs. His eyes darkened as he stroked my pussy.

“I don’t get wet for men I don’t desire.” I hesitated only a moment. “In fact, I’ve never gotten wet for a man before. Only for you, Spider.”

And it was the truth. Whenever I’d been ordered to offer myself to a man, I’d made sure to use lube before meeting him. None of the men in my father’s world cared if a woman enjoyed herself or was a willing participant. If they’d hurt me, it would have only turned them on more. Maybe it was insane to be wet and needy right now, after all the horrors I’d faced, but his tender touch, his adamant refusal to do anything he thought might harm me, was the biggest turn-on.

“Luciana, you’ve been horribly abused, physically and sexually. I’m not sure that… I don’t know that sex is a good idea. At least, not right now. You need time to heal, to process everything that’s happened. I’m not saying never. You know I want you. I couldn’t hide the fact I was hard, and I just came in your damn mouth.”

My lips twisted a little. “I never have.”

He blinked once. Twice. “Never have what?”

“Come. I’ve never had an orgasm.”

A slow smile spread across his face. “Well, I guess I can’t let that stand, now can I? Doesn’t mean I’m putting my cock inside you, though.”

“Then what…” I squealed as he gripped my waist and lifted me onto the table. I placed my hands on his shoulders to steady myself. Spider pulled the chair over and sank onto it.

“Too fucking old to kneel on this damn wood floor,” he muttered.

Gently, he kissed the scars that marked my belly, hips, and thighs. His beard tickled, but what he was doing, the way he touched me, brought tears to my eyes and made my throat tight.

Other than my eyebrows and the hair on my head, the rest had been removed permanently. I’d always hated it, hated the way it felt to be bare down there. Exposed. Until now. Spider traced his tongue along my slit, and I gasped as I leaned back and spread my thighs wider, giving him better access. No one had ever put their mouth on me before, except for the man who’d bitten me and not in a fun, sexy way. I still bore the scar on my inner thigh. They’d always shoved their cocks into me and that was it. They’d get off and be done with me.

For the first time since my body had been marked, I wasn’t ashamed of the scars. I didn’t feel ugly or degraded. Spider made me feel beautiful and desirable. He wasn’t using my body as a way to punish me, wasn’t taking what he wanted whether I liked it or not. He was giving me an incredible gift, and proving yet again that he was different from the other men I’d known.

He held me open and sucked on my clit. I could feel something building, a warm buzz settling under my skin, and a tingling where he’d placed his mouth. My nipples hardened and my pussy clenched, feeling empty. Too empty. I needed more. He circled my clit with his tongue before lightly biting down, and it was enough to make me see stars. The strangled cry that left my lips turned into a wail as he worked the sensitive nub, making my orgasm go on and on. I was trembling and breathless, my thighs shaking as I felt moisture gather under me. My cheeks warmed when I realized it was coming from me.

Spider wasn’t finished with me yet, though, and he didn’t stop until I’d come twice more. He’d given me pleasure unlike anything I’d ever experienced, and yet I still ached, felt like something was missing. He pushed his chair back, his chest rising and falling with his labored breaths, and I realized he was just as turned-on as I was -- still needed more, just like me.

I eyed his cock, biting my lip when I saw he was hard again. I eased off the table and straddled him. Spider’s gaze locked on mine and he slowly shook his head, warning me not to do it, but I’d never been good at listening. In Colombia, I might have hesitated. With Spider, I knew I wasn’t in any danger. I placed my hands on his shoulders and lowered myself onto his cock, taking him all the way inside me.

“Luciana.” His tone held a hint of warning, but I ignored it.

“I’m clean, if that’s your concern.”

“I am too, but that doesn’t make this a good idea,” he said.

I wanted this, wanted him. If he didn’t want to touch me after this, then I would have at least experienced how incredible sex could be once in my life. Even though he’d spoken of other men in his club, younger ones, I knew I didn’t want them. It was younger men who had hurt me. I understood that not all men were like that, or at least I did now, but I didn’t think I’d ever trust someone my father’s age or younger, not enough to get naked with them.

“Please,” I said softly. “Make me forget. Give me something good to dream about to keep the nightmares away.”

His gaze softened a fraction. “You don’t play fair, girl.”

“As they say, all’s fair in love and war, right?”

“And which do you think this is? Because I’ve never loved a woman in my life, and I’m not offering that now.” He didn’t speak harshly or coldly. Merely stated the facts.

His words hurt, but I tried not to take it personally. If our roles were reversed, I’d likely feel the same way. If a man like Spider ever did love someone, I knew he’d give his whole heart to her, and she’d be damn lucky. But we were strangers and hadn’t exactly gotten off on the right foot.

“I’ve been fighting a war my entire life.” He might not see it that way, but it was how I felt. “Maybe for once, I just want something nice to hold onto for a bit.”

He glanced down at where we were joined. “Do you want to be in charge? Will that make this easier for you?”

“Are you worried I’ll have a flashback?”

“It’s not an unreasonable concern. If we do this, I don’t want you back in Colombia. I want your mind here, with me, and knowing that it’s my cock inside you.”

I reached up and ran my fingers through his beard. “I know it’s you.”

He stared at me, not so much as blinking. I worried that he’d send me to my room or make me leave the compound entirely. Had I pushed things too far? Mr. VanHorne hadn’t said a word to us except to tell us where we were going and who we would stay with when we arrived. My sisters and I had thought he was a broker of sorts for our father, sealing a deal and using us as currency, but I knew now that he’d been trying to find a place to keep us safe and out of our father’s hands.

I wasn’t ready to leave my safe haven. I’d barely even arrived.

“Get up,” he said.

My breath hitched as I stood, his cock slipping free of my body. I curled my shoulders, prepared for the lecture, his anger, and being banished from the Hades Abyss compound. Spider stood and pointed to the table.

“Turn around and lean across it. Ass in the air.”

My eyes widened and I hastily obeyed. My heart pounded, feeling like it might crash right through my chest, as I heard the rustle of his jeans hitting the floor. He gripped my hips and nudged my feet apart, grabbing a fistful of my hair and tipping my head back.

“You panic at any moment, get scared, or just want me to stop for any reason, you fucking tell me. Understood?” he asked.

“Yes, Spider.”

“Good girl.”

I felt his cock brush against my slit, and then he was pressing inside. He went deeper than he had when I was sitting on his lap and I moaned at how good it felt. With one hand in my hair and one on my hip, he started stroking in and out of me. I’d never imagined that sex could feel like this. It made me feel closer to him, like we were sharing something special. I knew it didn’t mean anything to him, but it did to me. Being the President, he had his pick of women, and like he’d said before, one pussy was as good as another. Didn’t stop me from closing my eyes and dreaming that it meant more.

He released my hair and cupped my breast. As his fingers pinched and rolled my nipple, I could feel that sensation building again, the one I’d experienced right before my first orgasm. He growled and his hips jerked harder against me, his thrusts getting rougher. It was the perfect combination, and soon I was screaming out my release. I felt his warmth splash inside me and his cock twitched as he buried himself deep.

“I never knew,” I murmured.

“Hold on,” he said and wrapped an arm around me. He sat, pulling me down with him so that we remained connected. I leaned back against his chest and smiled when he gave my breasts a gentle squeeze before playing with my nipples again.

“No bad thoughts?” he asked, his voice a deep, gruff rumble in my ear.

“None,” I said, floating on a cloud of bliss.

“Still want me to claim you? Think you need that extra layer of protection? Because you don’t. No one is taking you from this compound if you don’t want to go.”

“Can we negotiate?” I asked.

“Negotiate?” Humor laced his voice.

“Mm-hm. You claim me, and in exchange I get to suck your cock whenever I want, and you give me more orgasms. Now that I know what they feel like, I want more. Lots more.”

He chuckled and pinched my nipples until I squealed from the sting of pain.

“Greedy wench.”

I bit my lip and relaxed against him even more. “I’m being serious, Spider. If you claim me, I don’t want it just to be in name only. I know you think you’re too old for me, or that I don’t really know what I want. I’m not some stupid child.”

“Never said you were,” he said. “Just think you haven’t been given many options in life, and I don’t want you to settle on an old bastard like me and discover later that there’s someone better out there. I’m not going to be able to give you kids, Luciana. You’ll want a family one day, aside from the one in your belly already. A kid that’s formed between you and the man you love. That man isn’t going to be me. I got snipped and won’t be having kids ever again.”

I placed a hand over my belly. I’d been terrified since I discovered I was pregnant. Not just terrified about how the child was conceived and that I didn’t know who the father was, but scared that the poor kid would have a shitty life like I had. I’d worried that they’d be born a boy and turned into a monster, or worse, born a girl and abused the way I’d been.

His hand covered mine and he placed a kiss on my shoulder. “I know you’re scared. You have every right to be. This baby isn’t going to suffer, Luciana. If you want to keep it, then I’ll help you any way I can. Get you a place of your own, make sure any men who come around are the good sort. The kid will need a daddy, and not just some jackass who doesn’t give a shit. If you decide you can’t handle seeing the kid every day, then I’ll help you place the baby in a good home. No one will force you to do anything you don’t want.”

“You already are. Forcing me.”

His body went taut and he immediately pulled me off his cock and stood. “Knew I shouldn’t have done that. It was stupid. I’m sorry, Luciana. It won’t happen again.”

He grabbed his clothes and started to walk off as I gaped at him, not knowing what the hell had bitten him on the ass.

“Spider, what are you talking about?”

“Forcing myself on you. Knew better than to take you the way I did.”

That’s what he thought? Men were so stupid at times. “Idiota.”

He froze and turned to face me. “Excuse me?”

“No, you’re not excused. Not even a little. I was talking about you forcing me to stay away from you, to pick someone younger because you seem to think it makes them better. You’re wrong. Being with a younger man will only trigger my fear.”

He took a deep breath before approaching me. “Trigger your fear.”

I nodded.

“Because only younger men hurt you?”

“Some were close to my father’s age, but yes. Most were younger. Some still young enough to be considered boys, but already being groomed to turn into soulless brutes like their fathers.”

We stared at each other for a few minutes before something flashed in his eyes.

“Violeta. Has she suffered like you?” he asked.

I nodded slowly. Spider cursed and dug into the clothing in his arms. He pulled out a phone and dropped his clothing, tossing the leather vest onto the table again, before pacing in the kitchen.

“Rocket, be extra careful with Violeta. Things aren’t as they seem, and nothing we’ve been told is the truth. She’s damaged and I can’t predict what she may be thinking or feeling right now. Whatever you do, treat her kindly and speak softly to her. I’m calling Church. Be there in an hour.”

I didn’t hear what the other man said, but Spider mentioned something about Prospects watching us. I remembered the man who brought us here wearing a patch that said Prospect on it. He’d been young. Close to my age if I had to guess, which had terrified Violeta and kept me on guard as well.

“Spider,” I said softly.

He glanced at me, stopping in the middle of his conversation.

“If the men you’re leaving with us are like the one who drove us here, then it will terrify Violeta.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Rocket, bring her to the clubhouse. I’m going to call Fox and make sure the place is cleared before we take the girls there.”

Spider disconnected the call and made another, to Fox I presumed, and I heard him tell the man to make sure the whores were gone. Whores? Ice filled my veins.

“You keep whores here?” I asked, taking a step back.

“What?” His eyes narrowed, then he smiled a little. “Not the way you’re thinking. We call the easy club pussy ‘whores’. The women are there voluntarily and get off on being used by a lot of men. I know you probably can’t understand that after everything you’ve been through, but there are women who like jumping from one dick to another. Or sometimes more than one at the same time. None of the women are abused or forced.”

I tried to calm my racing heart, processing what he’d said.

“There’s a bathroom across from your bedroom. You should get cleaned up and change before we have to go.” He turned and walked away, leaving his clothes in the middle of the floor and his vest on the table. I picked them up and followed him to the back of the house, pausing in the doorway of what had to be his bedroom.

I heard a shower running and saw his bathroom was just an open archway, but the shower was designed so that I couldn’t see him. Just a tiled wall. I moved farther into the room and found his laundry hamper, placing his dirty things inside. Except the leather vest with all his patches and his title. That I draped over the foot of the bed. I didn’t think he’d even realized he’d left it, but I’d noticed he treated it with care.

There were a few other rumpled clothing items on the floor, so I picked them up and shoved them into the hamper too. I straightened his bed and then went back to the kitchen to pick up my things. I walked upstairs and went into the bathroom. Whoever had picked out the bedding must have stocked the bathroom too. He’d called her a club girl. Had he meant one of the whores he’d spoken about on the phone? Or someone else?

The vanilla-scented soap was a little much for me and made me sneeze, but I used it since there wasn’t anything else. The shampoo was a plain, unscented generic one that I knew would leave my hair snarled and rough. He’d mentioned making a list of things I needed, and I hoped he’d let me pick out new bathroom items as well as my favorite foods. Although I wasn’t certain I could get the ingredients for my favorite meals here. I had to remember I wasn’t in Colombia anymore.

I wrapped a towel around me, purple like the bedding, and went back into the room he’d given me. I pulled out the leggings and shirt I’d stuffed inside, as well as a clean bra and panties. Once I was dressed and had pulled my hair up again, I made my way downstairs. I didn’t know what to expect. Would Spider acknowledge what happened between us? Or would he be gruff and standoffish again? I could tell he hadn’t wanted me here, maybe still didn’t.

I thought about Violeta. She’d been terrified of what her life here would be like. She was only seventeen, but that hadn’t mattered to our father or his men. Her innocence hadn’t spared her from his form of punishment. My heart ached that I hadn’t been able to save her or Sofia. At least Violeta was close enough I could comfort her, but Sofia had gone to another club. I’d heard the President speak to Casper VanHorne about a marriage. I hoped that meant Sofia would be cherished and loved. Surely Mr. VanHorne wouldn’t have placed her in the care of some unfeeling man, not after he’d done his best to get me and Violeta into the Hades Abyss. I just hadn’t realized at the time it would be a safe location, a place where we didn’t have to live in fear.

Spider was at the front door, his hands shoved into his pockets. He’d put the leather vest back on over a sleeveless black shirt that showed off the tattoos on his arms. He might claim to be old and out of shape, but his arms were still muscular, and I hadn’t detected an ounce of fat on him when he’d been naked in the kitchen. Despite the age differences between us I found him to be attractive, and now that I’d had a taste of the pleasure he could give me, I wanted more.

I only wished the baby I carried was his and not some random stranger’s. Although, my worst fear was the baby hadn’t been fathered by a stranger, but by a soulless man in my father’s employ. I’d kept my pregnancy hidden, and it had surprised me that Spider had noticed. If my father knew of the child in my womb, he wouldn’t have let me go. Not until the baby was born, so he could do with it as he pleased.

Whatever it took, I needed to protect my child. The baby might not have been planned, or conceived out of love, but this little one was innocent and deserved a chance at a good life.

Chapter Three

Spider

I stared at the men around the table, knowing I could trust them to keep Luciana and Violeta safe. They were good men, even if they didn’t always walk on the right side of the law. Then again, neither did I. As their President, I got my hands dirty long before they did. I never asked anything of them that I wasn’t willing to do myself.

I had Casper VanHorne and Torch on speaker, my phone in the center of the table so everyone could hear.

“All right, Casper. I know you aren’t really trying to keep peace with Mateo Gomez, so what the fuck is going on?” I asked. “Because Luciana came here thinking she was going whore for me and the club, and her sister was scared shitless thinking she would be raped by my men.”

“I have a man inside Gomez’ circle who was watching him. When he was offered Violeta, he started digging deeper. The news he gave me wasn’t good, and I knew I needed to act. I can’t work on dethroning Gomez with his daughters present, so I got them out of Colombia and put them somewhere safe. With two of the four clubs I trust.”

“Why not Devil’s Fury or Devil’s Boneyard?” I asked. “Why put two of them here?”

“Devil’s Boneyard has already dealt with more than their fair share of victims from the Colombian cartel. Devil’s Fury took in some of those women as well. Torch, I asked you to place Sofia with Saint for a reason. I’m not ready to explain just yet, but know that she suffered more than the other two,” Casper said.

I started cursing because after hearing, and seeing, what had been done to Luciana I couldn’t fathom Sofia’s fate being even worse. I glanced at Rocket and saw that he looked both sick and furious. The way he’d gently handled Violeta, and the tenderness I’d seen in his eyes, told me that he already felt a connection to her. She was likely a reminder of the sister he’d lost, and I had no doubt he’d protect her with his life.

“So you’re trying to take down Gomez,” Torch said. “What do you need from us?”

“For now?” Casper asked. “Just keep the girls safe. If I need assistance with Gomez, I’ll ask.”

“Does Saint need to be concerned about Sofia?” Torch asked.

“She won’t hurt his daughter if that’s what you mean,” Casper said. “It’s part of why I requested she be placed with you. Sofia loves children and responds well to them. Animals too. It’s adults she has an issue with, and for good reason. Anything unusual happen with the girls yet?”

“You mean aside from Luciana stripping off her clothes and telling me I could do whatever I wanted to her?” I snorted. “Or the fact she’s covered in scars and told me a story that might give me nightmares for a while?”

“I know,” Casper said. “My guy was there one of the days Luciana was tortured. It sickened him to see what they did, but if he’d interfered he’d have died and those girls would still be trapped. When they’d strapped Violeta down, he’d been expected to participate and he couldn’t do it. Thankfully, he gave them an excuse they accepted and they don’t seem suspicious just yet. He’s on borrowed time before they figure out he’s not a heartless creature like them.”

Fangs, Bear, and Fox were eyeing me closely.

“What, motherfuckers?” I snapped.

Fox arched a brow. Being my VP, not much fazed him, not even my temper.

“Something we need to know, Pres?” Fox asked.

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

Bear smirked. “You had a taste of the little Colombian princess, didn’t you?”

Casper growled over the phone. “Spider, I swear to Christ. Did you fuck that girl already? I thought you had more damn sense and decency than that.”

“I didn’t fucking rape her, assholes.” I speared them all with a glare, even the damn phone, though I knew Casper couldn’t see me. “If I had consensual sex with her, it’s no one else’s fucking business, you cocksucking motherfuckers.”

Marauder lifted a brow. “Wow. That’s a lot of fucks even for you. And for the record, I’d rather eat pussy than suck a dick, but maybe the others are into that.”

I flipped him off, my silent fuck you making Shooter and Knox chuckle.

Surge tipped his head and gave Marauder a contemplative look. “Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it.”

I hadn’t seen that one coming. I stared at Surge for a moment, but he just grinned. Guess his door swung both ways, since I’d seen him balls-deep in club pussy more often than I’d have preferred. Not that I gave a shit where he put his dick, as long as it didn’t blow back on the club in a bad way, but that could happen with bitches just as easily as with another man.

Slider gave him a wink, and I decided I wasn’t even going down that rabbit hole. Not right now anyway. If the guys wanted to fuck each other, I wasn’t going to stand in their way. I preferred a hot, wet pussy over some dude’s hairy ass, but to each his own.

“Can none of you be serious for two seconds?” Casper asked. “How are the girls? Spider, don’t toy with Luciana. You have enough club pussy around there to occupy you. Leave the girl alone unless you’re serious.”

I stared at the table a moment, tracing the woodgrain with my finger. I needed to reel Casper in, remind him who he was fucking talking to, but he’d given me the perfect opportunity. Luciana’s words still played in my mind. I wanted her to feel safe, to be secure in the knowledge she didn’t have to return to Colombia.

“Luciana asked me to claim her.” I looked at my men, watching for their reaction. “I told her she should think it over and not make a rash decision. She doesn’t have just herself to consider. She’s pregnant.”

“You’re considering it?” Fox asked, his brow furrowed. “You always said you’d never settle down. After the shit with Ryker’s mom, you said bitches were only good for fucking and not keeping.”

“I’m considering it,” I admitted. “I just think she’s making a mistake that she’ll come to regret, and once I ink her, that’s it until I draw my last breath. Even after I’m gone, I’d expect you fuckers to take care of her and treat her like a damn queen.”

No one said a word about my demise, but they knew better than most that I walked a fine line when it came to staying alive. Some of the shit I handled could easily end with my body being tossed into a shallow grave. It was a risk I was willing to take, and I knew every man at this table felt the same. Torch’s club might be a bit more law-abiding these days, not getting their hands quite as dirty, but then most seemed to be settling down and starting families. The majority of my club were still bachelors, and I didn’t see that changing anytime soon.

“And the kid she’s carrying?” Bear asked. “You didn’t want kids after Ryker. That’s why you got snipped.”

“That ball’s in her court. If she wants to keep it, then I’ll do what I need to. If she decides to give it up, I’ll help her with that too. Even if we aren’t together, I’m not going to leave her defenseless. I’m an asshole but not a total bastard.”

“If Luciana trusted you enough to ask for sex, then maybe you really should claim her,” Casper said. “She acts braver than her sisters but deep down she’s terrified of men. Showing you a different side? That’s a huge step for her. If she’s letting you in and giving you a glimpse of how vulnerable she is, then she’s dead serious about being yours.”

I was afraid he’d say something like that. I didn’t like it. Luciana seemed sweet, and I was furious over what she’d been through, but I wasn’t the settling-down type. Ryker’s mom had lived with me, so that my boy could be under my roof without a fight, but I’d never really made her mine. I hadn’t patched her or inked her, hadn’t married her, and I damn sure hadn’t let her put any sort of claim on me other than being the father of her son. Ryker had been a mistake when I was seventeen, but he was the best damn one I’d ever made. His mom had resented me for all I’d withheld from her and the club pussy I’d screwed even while she lived with me. She’d cursed me when she’d died. Women were too much damn trouble.

But there was something about Luciana that gave me pause. She wasn’t like the other women I’d been with, and I’d seen the pain in her eyes when she’d thought about me claiming her but fucking other women. When Ryker’s mom had pulled that shit, it hadn’t bothered me. But the idea of making Luciana cry or doubt herself? That shit fucking hurt. Only under my roof for two hours and already she had me by the balls. Maybe I was getting too old for this shit.

The doors to Church cracked open and Luciana peered inside, her wide gaze skirting around the room before landing on me. I should reprimand her, but there was something in the way she gripped the door that made me pause. Her knuckles were white, and there was tension bracketing her mouth.

“What’s wrong, Luciana?” I asked.

“I… Violeta and I were wondering if you’d be finished soon?”

“Do you interrupt your father’s meetings?” Fox asked her, his tone sounding almost bored.

Luciana paled and slowly shook her head before lowering her gaze, no doubt remembering exactly what happened when she disobeyed Mateo Gomez.

I growled at Fox, but he winked at me. What the fuck was he up to now?

“Think you should come apologize to your man for breaking the rules?” Fox asked. “Beg his forgiveness and hope he lets you stay?”

“My…” Her head jerked up. “My man?”

“You wanted him to claim you, right?” Fox asked.

She slowly nodded, then looked at me again. I crooked a finger, beckoning her closer. Luciana took a step into the room, the door closing behind her. As it clicked shut, she flinched but kept moving toward me. She stopped within arm’s reach and glanced at the men around the table again. Her gaze locked on mine and she licked her lips, making me notice the lower one trembled.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“Sorry for what?” I asked.

“I interrupted your meeting. I understand that I need to be punished.” She reached for the hem of her shirt and I quickly closed my fingers around her wrist and pulled her toward me. Her startled gaze flew up and the pulse pounded in her neck.

“Do you remember the talk we had before coming here?” I asked.

She hesitated a moment, then nodded.

“And did I not tell you that you were no longer a whore? That you wouldn’t be tortured?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said, her accent getting thicker with her fear.

“So why were you about to undress in front of my men?” I asked.

I felt a tremor run through her and I tugged on her again, not stopping until she landed in my lap. She cast a furtive look at my men before turning to me again.

“Luciana, I’m not Mateo Gomez. I don’t run this club the way he runs his organization. My men aren’t going to hurt you, they won’t rape you, and they sure as fuck aren’t going to accept money for anyone else to fuck you. Any one of them so much as looks at your naked body, and I’ll have to beat them.”

The tension in the room intensified and I felt the anger coming off everyone around the table. I knew without a doubt they’d protect her, even if I wasn’t able to anymore.

“I’m safe,” she murmured. “With you.”

“Yes, you’re safe. Even if I weren’t here, you’d still be safe.”

“Because you’re going to claim me?” she asked, her lips twisting a little as if she were almost afraid to hope for such a thing.

I reached up to cup her cheek and she pressed against my hand, her eyes sliding shut a moment. Peace rolled across her features, only to disappear the moment she moved away from my touch.

Fox leaned closer and Luciana pressed as far back as she could without falling on the floor. I gave my VP a glare that would scare most men, but not Fox. He just smirked before focusing on Luciana again. He gave her the smile that melted the panties off most women, but I could almost smell the fear coming from Luciana.

“You know, maybe instead of letting this old bastard claim you, you might prefer being with someone else. Like me.” Fox winked at her and I damn near punched him.

Luciana shook her head so hard I worried she’d crack her neck.

Fox reached for her and Luciana made a sound like a wounded animal before tumbling off my lap. This time, I didn’t hold back. I punched Fox in the face, then stood and reached for Luciana. She whimpered and scurried back, her gaze wild and darting around the room. When her eyes became focused again and she realized it was just me, she grabbed onto my leg, wrapping herself around me.

“Luciana,” I said softly. “Look at me.”

Her gaze stayed on Fox and her grip tightened.

“For fuck’s sake. Fox, you’re a Goddamn idiot. Thanks for scaring the shit out of her, asshole.” I lifted my lip at him in a snarl before reaching down and grabbing Luciana. I tugged her free of my leg and held her in my arms.

“Spider, what’s going on?” Casper asked, reminding me he was on the phone.

“Sounds like his VP is pushing his buttons.” Torch snickered, making me want to punch him.

“The meeting is over as far as you two are concerned,” I said, reaching for the device on the table. “Go handle your own fucking business.”

I ended the call and looked at my men.

“Any of you, and I mean anyone scares Luciana or Violeta, and I will hand your ass to you. Understood? I might be getting old, but I’m not fucking dead. Until I hand the club over to someone else, my word is law. I would seriously suggest none of you forget it or forget why I’m the one in charge.” I lifted Luciana into my arms and strode toward the door, pausing a moment. “And for the record, she’s mine. I want a property cut by tomorrow morning.”

I pushed my way through the door and made my way through the clubhouse. Violeta emerged from the shadows and reached out, grabbing onto my cut. I didn’t bother telling her to let go, even though she didn’t have permission to touch me. If Luciana had been scared enough to come find me, then it meant Violeta was terrified as well. I still didn’t know why she’d come into Church the way she had, but I’d find out soon enough. First, I needed to get her calmed down. Violeta could come with us. Rocket would stop by at some point.

I stopped at one of the club SUVs and placed Luciana in the front passenger seat, then opened the back door for her sister. The keys were in the ignition and I started the engine and drove back to my house. It had been a nice day, so Luciana and I had walked to the clubhouse earlier. No way was she walking back right now. Since I’d just claimed her, I’d have to get some transportation other than my bike. With her being pregnant, I wasn’t about to let her ride on my Harley.

I left the SUV in the driveway, then helped Luciana into the house, keeping my arm around her waist. She still seemed a little traumatized and I was ready to kick Fox’s ass, even if he had been trying to goad her into saying she wanted me. He was a motherfucker, and I’d deal with him later. Violeta followed us quietly and when I eased Luciana down onto the sofa, she sat beside her sister.

“You’re safe,” I told Violeta. “I would never hurt you or your sister. She’s mine, and that means you’re mine too.”

Violeta blinked and I realized she didn’t understand what I meant.

“In this club, the women we claim are called old ladies. It’s like a wife but without the paperwork. Luciana will get a cut.” I pointed to mine. “Like this, but it will say Property of Spider and she’ll be inked with a property stamp.”

Violeta still didn’t say anything.

“Since you’re her sister, that makes you my responsibility as well. Do you like staying with Rocket?”

She gave a slight nod.

“He’s been treating you well? Hasn’t scared you too much?”

“He didn’t like it when I tried to take off my clothes. He looked scared and ran out of the room,” Violeta said.

I bit my lip because it wasn’t funny, and yet it was. I could just imagine Rocket’s horror when the teen started to strip, but the reason why she’d done it was scary as fuck.

“Your sister told me what she’s been through. That you and Sofia have suffered as well. Is Luciana the only one pregnant?” I asked.

Her gaze shuttered and that was answer enough. I just didn’t know if she was pregnant, or Sofia, or both of them. What a fucking mess. Violeta wasn’t even at the legal age of consent for most of the states. She should have been in high school, having fun with kids her age, not staring evil in the eye as it did irreparable damage to her physically and emotionally. I hoped Casper took out Mateo Gomez and his entire organization, but I knew another would just crop up. When one fell, another rose. One of Silva’s henchmen had tried to take over after Devil’s Boneyard had been there saving their man, Havoc, but he hadn’t been able to gain enough power to pull it off.

“Violeta, the things your father and his men did, none of that will happen to you here. This club will protect you, keep you safe. No one expects you to spread your legs in payment, or do anything else for that matter.” I watched her for a moment. “Did you ever go to school?”

“Tutors,” she said. “They can be paid not to ask questions.”

“Did you enjoy learning?” I asked, trying to quell the urge to track down the motherfuckers who’d looked the other way when a young girl was being hurt.

She nodded.

“If you’d like to continue your schooling, I’ll check around for a tutor. A female tutor if you’d prefer. Would you like that?”

“Yes,” she said softly and looked at her sister.

“Violeta, I swear to you that Luciana is safe with me. Could I have a moment alone with her? There’s some soda in the fridge and snacks in the pantry. You can help yourself to anything you’d like in there. Except the beer.” I winked and gave her a smile. “No underage drinking.”

She looked from me to her sister and back before getting up and leaving the room. Luciana had a vacant stare that was scaring the shit out of me. Yes, Fox had been out of line, but this seemed like an extreme reaction. I lifted Luciana, then took a seat and settled her in my lap, holding her close to my chest. I ran my hand up and down her back, just holding her a moment.

“Fox is the Vice President of this club. He’s my right-hand man, and while he can be a jackass and do some dumb shit on occasion, he’s a decent guy and he would never hurt you. I don’t know what he did that caused you to react this way, or if you’re under too much stress and finally snapped, but I swear on my life that I will keep you safe. You’re mine, Luciana. No one will hurt you at this compound.”

She still didn’t speak. Didn’t cry. Didn’t even move.

I glanced up and saw Violeta in the doorway. “What does your Fox look like?”

“He’s in his late thirties, bearded, tattooed, brown hair that can look more blond if he’s outside a lot.” I shrugged a shoulder. “He looks like an everyday biker. Why?”

Violeta stared at her sister before she started to speak again. “One of the men who paid for her was tall, slender, but had muscles. Sometimes he had a neatly trimmed beard and sometimes he shaved. His hair was somewhere between blond and brown, and his eyes were dark and cold.”

“How do you know what he looked like?” I asked.

“I saw him once. I’d been bad and was going to be punished. The room where they chained Luciana was open and that man was going inside, removing his clothes. He winked at me before telling her that maybe he’d have me next.”

I took a deep breath. Then another. And another. It didn’t stop the rage filling me, but I sure as fuck didn’t want to scare Violeta.

“Fox would never harm either of you, but I understand her reaction to him now. He flirted and suggested she pick him instead,” I said.

Violeta paled and worried at her lower lip.

“He wasn’t being cruel, Violeta. He was being playful and didn’t mean any harm. I’ll speak to him later and let him know that he can’t do that shit around either of you,” I said. And I just might kick his ass while I was at it. Even if the fucker hadn’t known what would happen, he’d been warned the girls had suffered abuse.

It seemed I needed to be a bit clearer about what would and wouldn’t be tolerated when it came to Luciana and Violeta. I knew that having women around was a bit of an oddity. Some of the older members, those who were no longer an active part of the club, had old ladies. Those women hadn’t hung around much, preferring to live outside the compound. I was the only one still here from the original crew, except Bear.

I cradled Luciana against me. I knew I wouldn’t be able to snap her out of this as long as Violeta was here. Rocket would eventually come for his new charge, if only to ensure she was safe. He had a protective instinct that ran deep, and having helped raise his baby sister, I knew he’d keep a close eye on Violeta. It was ingrained in him.

To speed things along, I sent a text to him.

Violeta is with me.

It only took a moment before I got a response.

On my way.

Good. Once Violeta was out of here, I could help Luciana through this. Then we’d discuss why she’d interrupted Church. Something had spooked her, and I wanted to know what, or who, had done it.

Chapter Four

Luciana

One moment, I’d been in Spider’s lap, still rattled but not as nervous as I’d been before I’d interrupted his meeting. The next thing I remembered was a man reaching for me, making a suggestion I sleep with him, a man who looked like one of my tormentors, and then… nothing. Not until now. I slowly blinked and looked up at Spider. The water from the showerhead beat down on my back, and his arms were wrapped around me. My naked body was pressed against his, but I saw only concern in his gaze and not lust.

“What happened?” I asked.

“You zoned out. I think when my VP opened his big mouth, you freaked or had some sort of episode. I’d be willing to bet you have PTSD.”

“And you thought a hot shower would help?” I asked, gazing up at him in curiosity.

“I was trying to think outside the box. Holding you and trying to talk you through it didn’t seem to be helping,” Spider said.

I rested my forehead against his chest, then sucked in a deep breath. “Violeta.”

“She’s with Rocket, and she’s fine. What happened, Luciana? What scared you enough that you came to find me?”

“A man came in. We didn’t recognize him. Young. Almost too pretty. He stopped and stared, wouldn’t take his eyes off us, and Violeta got scared. I was a little worried too.”

“Did he have a Prospect patch on his cut?” Spider asked.

“Cut?”

He chuckled a little. “Violeta was confused by that one too. The black vest with all the patches. It’s called a cut.”

I thought about it a moment. “Yes. It said Prospect.”

“Young like you, or younger than you?” he asked.

“I think younger than me. Not the same one that brought us here, though. He was different.”

Spider nodded. “Teller. He was probably as scared of you as you were of him. Kid has a traumatic past, but he’s got a good soul. Raised in the system until he went to juvie. I found him on the streets and brought him here.”

“System?” I asked, not understanding what he meant.

“When a kid in this country doesn’t have parents or a legal guardian, they’re placed in something called foster care and passed around to people who get paid to take care of them. In Teller’s case, they didn’t do such a great job. Hurt him pretty bad. He got caught stealing cars and went to juvie, which is jail for someone underage,” Spider explained. “No one ever gave him a fair shot. I decided to change that. He’s been here for a little over a year. Dropped out of high school and we helped him disappear until he was too old for the state to shove him back into another home.”

I looked up at what I figured had to be kindest man I’d ever met. He thought he was bad, but he wasn’t. Even if he did break the law, it didn’t make him evil, not like my father and the other men I’d known. Spider was a caretaker, even if he didn’t realize it. A protector. I’d even go so far as to call him a hero, though I had no doubt he’d scoff and say he was no such thing. But to me, and likely to Teller, that’s what he was.

“You’re a good man, Spider.”

“Call me Trent. At least when the club isn’t around. If it’s just you and me, you don’t have to use the name Spider.”

“Trent?” It didn’t seem to quite fit him, but if he wanted me to use his given name, then I would.

“Trent Storme.” He smiled a little. “Pleasure to meet you, Miss Luciana Gomez.”

I dropped my gaze, hating that name. I didn’t want a single tie to my father. Spider lifted my chin and gazed down at me with worry in his eyes.

“What did I say?” he asked.

“It’s nothing.”

His lips twitched like he was fighting back a smile. “Honey, I’ve been around long enough to know that when a woman says ‘it’s nothing,’ then it’s definitely something. I’m old. Not dumb.”

I snorted. “You’re not old. And it’s just that I hate my name.”

“Luciana?”

“I guess my first name is fine. But I don’t like being a Gomez. I don’t want a tie to my father. It’s bad enough I’m of his blood, but sharing his name seems wrong. I would completely erase him from my life if I were able.”

Spider held me, but didn’t say anything for a while. The water started to cool and he shut it off, then wrapped me in a fluffy towel. He used brisk strokes to dry me, then gave me a nudge out of the room while he dried himself. I looked around, realizing for the first time that I’d been in his bathroom. My surroundings hadn’t really been in focus until now. The episode I’d had must have been worse than I’d thought.

I started to leave, to go back to the room he’d given me, but he gripped my arm. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to make me stop. I hadn’t even heard him come up behind me. I turned to look at him and could tell he was still worried about me. He wasn’t the only one. I’d never had that sort of reaction before. I’d always just dealt with what happened to me, accepted it. It seemed my mind was starting to fight the abuse in a different way now. Or maybe I’d done this before and hadn’t even realized it.

“I’m moving your things down here,” he said. “I’m not letting you sleep alone. If you had a nightmare, I wouldn’t be able to hear you.”

“You didn’t seem concerned about that before, when you had me placed upstairs.”

He pulled me closer. “When I went to pick you up, I thought I was getting some spoiled, entitled little brat. I expected a diva, an overindulged princess. It never occurred to me that your father wouldn’t have kept you safe. Men are supposed to protect their children, not abuse them.”

“And because I’m damaged that makes you care more?” I asked, feeling a spark of… something. Irritation? Anger? Maybe a bit of both. “Even if I had been spoiled and coddled, I wouldn’t have deserved to be brushed off and treated like a nuisance.”

“You’re right,” he said. “And I’m sorry. I only thought about the inconvenience to myself and my club. I didn’t think about how you or your sisters were feeling. You were uprooted from your home, your country, and even if you had been kept safe all these years, it still would have been traumatic for you.”

I felt the anger drain from me. I couldn’t really be mad at him. Spider had to think of what was best for his club, and I’d been an unknown to him. The moment he’d realized I was in trouble he’d vowed to help me. He was keeping me safe. Violeta and I had to hope that Sofia was as well. I didn’t know why she’d been given to another club, but if the man guarding her was anything like Spider, then she was better off than she’d been back home.

“You know how you said you’re old but not dumb?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“You were wrong. You are most certainly dumb when it comes to women.”

He chuckled and held me against him. “You’re right, but then, I think most men are rather stupid when it comes to the fairer sex. You don’t exactly come with a set of instructions.”

“If we did, would you bother to read them?”

His body shook, and then he burst out with a deep laugh that had me looking up and smiling at him. He looked younger, carefree, and really happy in that moment. Not that I thought he was old. He might have thought that, but I certainly didn’t. Age was just a number, and if he brought it up one more time I’d find a way to get even. He was pissing me off with that nonsense.

“I’m going to assume this means you aren’t scared of me,” he said, humor shining in his eyes.

His words startled me a moment. I’d never spoken to a man like that before, never teased one or let my temper show. Maybe he was right. I knew he made me feel safe, but perhaps while I was under Spider’s roof I would start to heal. I didn’t think I’d be so bold with anyone else, but I knew he wasn’t going to hurt me. Even though we were still essentially strangers, there was goodness in him. We’d been intimate, but I knew that there was much I didn’t know about Spider or his club. Still, if he were going to hurt me surely he’d have done it by now.

“I’m not scared of you,” I said, “but I don’t think I’m ready to be quite so bold with anyone else just yet.”

“Take your time. Everyone heals in their own unique way and at their own pace. It’s not a race, Luciana.” He frowned. “You don’t like your name.”

“The Luciana part doesn’t really bother me,” I assured him.

“Would you like to have your last name legally changed?” he asked.

“Is that possible? I don’t care what it is as long as it’s not Gomez,” I said.

“I’ll have Surge work on it. He’s fairly new to the club and came highly recommended by Wire over at the Dixie Reapers. The man’s a computer genius so you won’t even have to leave the compound to have your name changed.”

I looked around his room. “You really want me to move in here? You don’t want your space?”

“I really want you here. I’m going to get dressed, then I’ll bring your bag down. I’ll ask a few of the guys to come with us into town. You need clothes, shoes, and whatever other crap women can’t live without.”

I fingered my wet hair. “Conditioner would be nice.”

“Then you’ll have it.” He winked and brushed a kiss against my cheek.

I held the towel around me as I watched him quickly pull on some clothes. He left and I heard his tread on the stairs. I could have easily gone up after my clothes, but I was learning to like having someone do nice things for me. If my father ever offered to do something or gift me a trinket I’d wanted, then it came with strings attached. That didn’t seem to be the case with Spider.

He returned, my bag clutched in his hand, and he passed it to me. While I dressed, he finished getting ready. I cast my gaze his way a few times, watching as he put something in his hair and beard. He combed his beard with a small wooden comb, then put on cologne. Spider came back into the bedroom and slipped on his cut. By then I’d finished dressing and had my hair pulled up in a messy knot. I really wanted to get it cut. My father had never permitted me to do such a thing, saying it devalued me.

Spider looked down at my shoes and shook his head. I stared at the flats but didn’t see anything wrong with them. I lifted my gaze to his.

“When you’re not pregnant and able to ride on a bike, you’ll need boots. For now, we’ll just find you some things that will be comfortable during your pregnancy.”

My hand went to my belly and my heartbeat stalled a moment. He’d mentioned that keeping the baby was my decision, but that was before he’d claimed me. What if he didn’t want the child? I could understand if that was the case. He’d purposely removed any chance he had of creating life again. If his son was older than me, would he want to start over?

“Luciana,” he said softly.

I looked up.

“What’s going through your mind right now?” he asked.

“You claimed me.”

He nodded.

“But the baby…”

Spider took three steps and pulled me into his arms. “The baby is yours, and since you’re mine, that makes the kid mine too. Doesn’t matter if I created him or not.”

“Could be a girl,” I said.

“Then I’ll buy more guns and ammo.”

I snuggled against him. “You said you didn’t want more kids.”

“I didn’t. And at my age, I figured those days were behind me, even if I hadn’t gotten a vasectomy. Luciana, just because you and I didn’t make the baby together, doesn’t mean I will treat it different. I’m the only dad that kid will ever know, and as far as I’m concerned, you never have to tell him, or her, that I’m not their biological father. I’ll leave that decision up to you.”

“I don’t know what I ever did to deserve someone like you,” I murmured, holding him tighter.

“I’m no prize.”

“We’ll have to agree to disagree.”

He pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “Come on. We’ll take the club SUV for now. I’ll have to get a vehicle that’s just for you and the baby, but this one will work for now.”

I stumbled as he tugged me toward the front of the house. A vehicle for us? Was he going to hire a driver too? I’d never driven anywhere in my life, hadn’t been permitted to do something like that. Looking back, I had to admit it was most likely because my father feared I’d have a better chance at escaping. It hadn’t occurred to me when I was younger, and I’d have never left my sisters behind.

I’d tell him later. If he brought up buying a car again, I’d tell him that I didn’t know how to drive. There was no point in buying a vehicle for me. Even if I were able to learn, I wouldn’t want to try it while I was pregnant, and after I’d have the baby to think about.

Spider helped me into the SUV before climbing into the driver’s seat. He stopped in front of the clubhouse and reached out to pat my thigh.

“Wait here, sweetheart. Just going to round up a few of the guys to come with us. I’m not taking any chances with your safety.”

I nodded and watched as he got out and disappeared into the building. The minutes ticked by and he didn’t return. A tap on the window startled me, my hand going to my throat as I jumped. I looked over at the Prospect who had scared Violeta so badly even though he hadn’t done anything other than stare. My hand shook as I pressed the button to open the window a little. Not enough he could reach me, but so I could hear him.

“The Pres said I scared you earlier. I wanted to apologize.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and took a step back. “Name’s Teller. You need anything, let me know. Promise I’m not going to hurt you or your sister.”

I gave him a slight nod and watched as he backed up even more before turning and walking off. My heart was hammering in my chest when Spider came back. One of the men who had been at the airstrip was with them. His cut had Fangs stitched on it. The others I didn’t recognize, but then I hadn’t been focused on them when I’d interrupted the meeting before. Spider got into the car, and the other men climbed onto their motorcycles.

“I’m bringing Fangs, Shooter, and Knox with me,” he said. “I asked the Prospects to stay behind this time. They’re all younger and I didn’t want them causing a panic attack. I’ll introduce you to everyone later.”

“What about Violeta? She’ll need things,” I reminded him.

“Rocket already has it handled. She wanted to buy her stuff online and have it overnighted. Also spoke to Surge about the issue of your last name. He assured me it would be handled by tonight, although I’m not entirely sure I trust the look in his eyes when he said it. Don’t be surprised if you end up with some God-awful name like Sparkles or something.”

I blinked at him. He was joking, wasn’t he? The look he cast my way told me no, he clearly wasn’t joking. Not even a little. Well, I had said that anything other than Gomez was perfectly fine. Looked like I’d be tested on that whenever I found out my new name.

“He’s arranging for an ID as well, so while we’re out I need to send him a picture of you. Just a headshot, and he said he can alter it as needed.”

“An ID? Don’t I need to go somewhere for that? Have papers that prove I’m permitted in this country?”

Spider shifted in his seat.

“About that… You technically don’t have permission to be here. Casper brought you into the country illegally, but he’s working on obtaining the proper paperwork. He has Surge, Wire, and Shade all helping make you, Violeta, and Sofia one hundred percent legal. But as of this very moment? The fewer people know about you the better.”

I nodded, a heavy weight settling in my stomach. If his government came for me, wanted to return me to Colombia and my father, there wasn’t a single thing Spider could do to stop it from happening. Maybe leaving the compound wasn’t such a good idea, but it was too late. Spider pulled into a parking space in front of a long line of stores and shut off the engine.

“This is where we’re shopping?” I asked. The shop in front of us had a window display of women’s clothing, but I could tell they were well-made and likely not on the cheaper side. I didn’t know how much money Spider had, but he’d admitted he wasn’t as rich as my father. I didn’t want him spending a fortune on clothes.

“Did you notice the sign?” he asked, pointing to the top of the store.

Little Momma. A maternity shop? I looked at the window display again and realized the mannequins did have baby bumps. I was barely showing right now, but with less stress in my life and regular meals? It was a good possibility that I would get bigger a lot faster now. I didn’t know for certain how far along I was, but my guess was about four months.

Spider led the way inside, the other men following. Fangs came into the store with us, and the other two remained outside, keeping watch. The woman working the counter and the other helping a customer both stopped and stared, their jaws dropping a little. I looked at Spider, letting my gaze trail from his head to his boots. I didn’t know what those women saw when they looked at him, but I was starting to feel that familiar tingle that meant I wanted him. Only Spider had ever made me feel like that.

“May I be of assistance?” the older blonde lady asked, smiling at Spider. She looked old enough to be my mother, and I didn’t like the look in her eyes. She wanted him. “Something for your… daughter?”

Spider opened his mouth to answer when Fangs’ phone and his both dinged with a message. They looked at their phones, and my stomach clenched, hoping it wasn’t bad news. Spider’s eyebrow arched and he shared a look with the other man.

“His wife,” Fangs said, looking about two seconds from laughing his ass off.

Wife? I stared at Spider until he showed me his phone.

Congrats. You’re married and she’s now Luciana Storme. You asked for a name change, so you got one. And since I had to work my ass off to make it all legit, that means she’s a legal US citizen too.

The message was from Surge.

“He can do that?” I asked.

“My money is on Wire planting the idea,” Fangs said. “But yes, he can and he did. So congrats, mamacita. You’re married to this asshole.”

“Wife?” the blonde lady asked, her head swinging from Spider to me and back again.

“Yep. My wife,” he said, pulling me against his side and curving his arm around my waist. If he was pissed that were married in the eyes of his government, he wasn’t showing it. “She needs some maternity clothes. If you have a problem with that, we’ll take our business elsewhere.”

The woman opened and shut her mouth several times. The younger one from behind the counter hurried over, stepping in front of the blonde lady.

“I apologize for Diane. My name’s Tawny and I’ll be happy to help your wife find some new outfits.” The woman smiled at me. “Do you know what you’re looking for?”

“Something comfortable,” I said. I’d worn enough dresses in my life that I didn’t care if I never saw another one.

She nodded. “Well, you look to be a size medium.” She stopped and eyed my breasts, which had gotten bigger with my pregnancy. “Or maybe a large. Let’s see what we have available. You can try on anything you like.”

I followed after her and looked over my shoulder, seeing a scowl on Spider’s face as he glared at the older woman. If she had any sense, she’d make herself scarce. I certainly wouldn’t want to offend the gruff biker, and I’d seen the softer side of him. After a moment she moved on, but I noticed her watching me, a look of hostility on her face with her pinched lips and flashing eyes.

“Ignore her,” Tawny whispered. “She’s seen the club around town and has been drooling over your husband since she got here about six months ago. She’s just pissed he’s taken and by someone way prettier and younger than her. Way to go, by the way.”

“Way to go?” I asked.

She nodded. “Older men are so hot. Think you could hook me up with the hottie who came in with you? He’s not a silver fox like your husband, but he has potential.”

“You want me to hook you up with Fangs? Like a date, or…” I was trying not to be rude, but I had to wonder if Tawny was even eighteen. She didn’t look it, but then I’d always sucked at judging someone’s age.

“A date would be awesome,” Tawny said.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

Tawny smiled widely and helped me gather so many clothes the dressing room looked like it might explode. Spider and Fangs never uttered a word of complaint, even though it took me over an hour to figure out what I wanted to buy. I was even able to change into one of my new outfits before we left the store, and I noticed that Diane was miraculously absent.

We shopped at several more stores, picking up everything I would need, from underthings to shoes and bathroom items. Spider vanished at one point, leaving me with Fangs and the others, but he wasn’t gone long. When I couldn’t shop another moment, my feet and back aching from all the walking, Spider ordered food to go at the diner before driving us back to the compound. He had one of the Prospects carry my bags into the house while he led me into the kitchen, gently pushing me down into a chair. After we each had a container of food in front of us, and each had a drink, he sat down, gave me a wink, then dug into his food.

“You’re not upset?” I asked.

“About what?” he asked between bites.

“That your Surge married us.”

He stopped chewing a moment and stared. After he’d swallowed, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. He set it on the table, then reached into his pocket and pulled out something shiny. My eyes went wide as he slid a solid silver band onto his ring finger. When he opened the box and I saw a silver band with sparkling diamonds across the top, I couldn’t hold back my gasp.

“If it’s not the right size, they said they can resize it for you,” Spider said. “But to answer your question, no, I’m not angry. I’d already claimed you, and in my world that’s pretty much the same thing. Except once a biker claims you, there’s no divorce, no going back. It’s a forever kind of thing. What Surge did, that’s just paperwork to make it legal in the eyes of the law.”

My hand trembled as he grasped it and slid the ring onto my finger.

“Now everyone will know you’re claimed even if they don’t see your ink, which you’ll be getting soon, or your cut, which should be ready by tomorrow. You’re mine, Luciana. Forever.”

Tears gathered in my eyes as I gazed at the ring, and his hand holding mine. Nothing could have prepared me for the emotions welling inside me. No one had ever wanted me, but he did. A sob escaped me and then another. When Spider pulled me into his arms, it wasn’t long before I soaked his shirt with my tears. He rubbed my back and let me cry. I clung to him, wondering how I had gotten lucky enough to be given to a man like him, and hoping I never had to let him go.

Chapter Five

Spider

It had been so damn long since I’d had a woman in my bed. I smoothed Luciana’s hair back from her face, admiring her profile as she slept soundly. After she’d cried yesterday, I’d urged her to finish her food before insisting she had a nap. She’d seemed embarrassed over her breakdown, but after everything she’d been through it was a miracle she hadn’t bawled her eyes out sooner. She was stronger than she gave herself credit for, and I hoped one day she’d see it.

The diamonds on her finger twinkled in the sunlight peeking through the blinds. She was mine. Not just my old lady, but my wife, thanks to Surge. To me, it was just a legality. Once I’d claimed her, that was it. Didn’t matter if she shared my name or not, she was mine. I couldn’t remember a time I’d ever felt as protective of someone, or rather over a woman, as I felt over Luciana. I wanted to slay all her dragons, but mostly I wanted to bury her father six feet deep. After torturing the shit out of him. I didn’t know what Casper had planned for Mateo Gomez, but I wanted in on it.

I left a note on the nightstand so Luciana wouldn’t wake up and worry when she couldn’t find me, then I put on my cut, pocketed my phone, and grabbed my keys. I’d never bothered locking my doors inside the compound, but with a pregnant woman under my roof -- my woman -- I made sure the house was locked up before I left. My Harley rumbled as I started the engine and drove to the front gates. A Prospect was already there with one of the trucks, as well as Hornet, Slider, and Bear. If I hadn’t set up this deal weeks ago, I’d have canceled the damn thing so I could focus on other shit like Mateo Gomez and whether or not he was a threat to my club and my woman. I had a hard time believing he was willingly giving up his daughters, even if he thought he was getting an alliance out of it.

Teller opened the gates, and we pulled through with me taking point. Bear was to my right and half a length behind, then the truck, with Hornet and Slider pulling up the rear. We hit the highway and headed out of town. The pick-up location was outside St. Louis in a spot no one knew about. No one still living at any rate, except my club and now the Quiet Killers. Getting mixed up with organized crime groups was always dicey, but these guys were the new go-between for several arms dealers. Since D.C.A. would only deal with me, thanks to my government connections, providing them with quality guns was a top priority for my club. The Deadly Cobra Association only hired the best assassins, ex-special ops, and other men you didn’t want to meet in a dark alley. They were the government’s go-to when their military elite got into a bind, or their hands were tied with red tape and a situation needed to be handled immediately.

We were only on the road about an hour before I pulled down a dirt road that looked more like an accident than a true pathway. I slowed my bike, avoiding the pony-sized potholes, and drove through the wooded land, keeping an eye out for trouble. In the clearing ahead, there were two SUVs and a truck. The men waiting were armed, dark glasses hiding their eyes from view. My gut clenched as I came to a stop about four yards away, Bear pulling up next to me.

“What do you think, Pres?” he asked.

“I’m not getting any bad vibes. From what I’ve heard, these guys are legit and wouldn’t want to fuck up this deal.”

Bear nodded. We moved in closer and dismounted from our bikes when we were about ten feet away. The truck behind me stopped as well, and I heard Philip get out. The bag of cash was clutched in his hand and I gave him a nod. He walked forward and set it down in front of Miguel Juarez, my contact with Quiet Killers, before backing away. With a snap of his fingers, Miguel had two of his guys sifting through the bag.

“It’s all here,” one of them confirmed.

I followed Miguel to the truck and motioned for my guys to unload the crates in back. Two crates of M4’s and another of CZ 75B’s. The head of D.C.A.’s lead tactical team would be very pleased. Mason Parkes could probably get this shit himself, but he was like me and buried up to his neck in fucking paperwork when he wasn’t actively kicking the shit out of someone. It was just easier for him to hire me to handle it, and I appreciated the business. D.C.A. was privately funded and money wasn’t an issue for them.

“Appreciate it,” I said, shaking Miguel’s hand.

“If they want more, or need something else, let me know. I can get my hands on just about anything,” Miguel said. “Or perhaps you’d like something with a bit more power.”

I smirked. “What makes you think I don’t have enough firepower already?”

“No such thing as enough,” Miguel said. “I’ll be in touch.”

We pulled away and hit the road, keeping a constant watch for trouble. The first pop had me tensing and trying to find the source. With the second, I felt a searing pain my shoulder. Fucking hell! Bear started firing back as I sped up and left him behind, the truck with our cargo right on my ass. I heard more gunfire and the sound of shots hitting metal. The dumbasses were shooting the fucking truck full of guns! Whoever these guys were, they weren’t overly intelligent. Hornet slid up next to me, motioned that he was going to cover the rear, then fell back.

We raced back toward the compound, but I could feel myself growing weaker. The blood had soaked my shirt and covered my arm, but it seemed like it was through and through. I grunted as another round slammed into me, this one lodging in my fucking back. Enough of this shit!

I motioned for Philip and Hornet to keep going, and I slowed down. Drawing my gun from my waistband, I opened fire on the assholes trying to steal our cargo. Three rapid fire shots took one out, his bike skidding across the road. He didn’t get up, so I focused on another while Bear handled a third. I didn’t know how many there had been to start, but we were down to four. After another moment, we’d managed to take them all out, but not before I saw their cuts. Chaos Killers MC. Those fucking idiots were a Goddamn menace. Caused a shit ton of trouble for everyone, but thankfully they were too damn stupid to do much other than piss off my club and others in the southern states. They only had one chapter in this area, and with some luck, we’d wipe that one out before it had a chance to spread like a fucking virus.

“Pres, you need to pull over,” Bear said.

I shook my head and kept going. It made my vision swim a moment, but I pushed through the pain. When we reached the compound, Teller opened the gates. I brought my bike to a halt just outside the clubhouse, then fell off like a pansy ass. Motherfucker!

“Someone get Dread,” Bear said as he knelt next to me.

Everything was spinning and getting darker. I fought to keep my eyes open, to stay present. Luciana needed me. I didn’t have time for this shit, and I would not pass out like some Goddamn pussy in front of my club. I groaned as Bear and Shooter lifted me, carrying me into the clubhouse. They started for the hallway to the back rooms, but I stopped them. If Luciana came here, I didn’t want to be in the room where I’d taken the club whores.

“Stop.” My command came out weaker than I’d have liked.

They halted and looked at me, Bear’s look clearly saying he thought I was losing my mind.

“You need to lie flat.” Bear folded his arms and his jaw went tense, as if he were expecting a fight. He would get one too, if he insisted I go to my room down the hall.

“Not in that damn bed I don’t.”

I heard booted steps, then Fox peered down at me. “Not the bed?”

“No.”

He tipped his head to the side and then understanding lit his eyes. “Right. Lay him out on the bar. Won’t be comfortable, but Dread can get to him easily there. Once he’s patched up, we’ll worry about getting him home.”

“Should we call Ryker?” Shooter asked.

“Not dying, you fuckers.” My voice was getting weaker. I could tell I was losing too much blood. Cold was seeping into me, and it felt like my heart was racing. Shit. “Get Luciana.”

Fox’s jaw tightened, but he nodded.

“On it,” Slider said.

“Dread is on his way,” Shooter said. “Just hang in there, Pres. We’ll have you patched up in no time. Then that pretty little woman of yours can give you sponge baths and shit.”

I managed to lift my arm enough to flip him off, but what should have taken no effort at all made me feel like I’d just run a damn marathon.

“What the fuck did he do now?” I heard Dread’s voice boom through the room.

“Got shot. Twice,” Fox said.

Dread glared at me and shook his head. “You take too many fucking chances with your life, Pres. You have other priorities now. Can’t be rushing off into danger.”

“Fuck you,” I mumbled.

“Stay with me.” Dread checked my pulse, then shined one of those damn pen lights in my eyes.

Someone lifted me enough to ease my cut off and I fought to remain conscious. Dread pulled out some scissors and cut my shirt off, then let out a long whistle.

“Through and through in the shoulder.” Dread prodded the area.

“Got shot in the back too,” Bear said.

Dread rolled me onto my side and the silence was telling enough. I could feel the cold wetness on my skin and knew it was a fuck ton of blood. Mine.

“This is going to hurt.” And that was all the warning I had. I bellowed out my pain and rage as he tried to work the bullet out of my body. It felt like forever before I heard the wet suction of the bullet popping free of my skin. “Missed the important things in there. You got lucky.”

“Just stitch me up and shut up,” I said.

“You’ve lost a lot of blood,” Dread said.

He wasn’t telling me anything I didn’t know already, but a hospital was out of the damn question. They’d notify the police, and then I’d have other problems to deal with. No, I’d recover at home like I always did.

“Spider!” I wanted to turn toward Luciana’s voice, but Dread’s hand, along with Shooter and Fox, kept me immobile. The hole in my back burned like shit when Dread poured something over it. Likely alcohol.

“How close are you to passing out?” Dread asked.

“Not close enough,” I said.

“No drugs. Not until we’re done. I need you alert, which means…”

“Just do it,” I said.

Slider led Luciana around the other side of the bar. She stopped in front of me and gripped my hand. Tears trickled down her cheeks and she looked fucking terrified as she held onto me. I felt like an asshole for scaring her like this. Maybe Dread was right and I needed to slow the fuck down. I fought to not only stay awake but to not squeeze Luciana’s hand as Dread started the process of stitching me back together. It felt like hours passed before he’d finished my back and sutured both sides of my shoulder.

“We’re never getting all that blood out of the bar,” Shooter said.

Luciana turned to him and let loose with rapid fire Spanish that I couldn’t follow. Shooter’s eyes went wide and he took a step back, his hands up.

“Sorry. I have no idea what you just said, but I’m sorry. Obviously I’m being an insensitive asshole or something.”

“He could have died,” Luciana said, “and you’re worried about a stupid bar?”

“Not dead, darlin’,” I said, then coughed, which just made everything hurt even more.

Teller grabbed a bottle of water from the mini fridge and passed it to Luciana. She helped me sip at the cold liquid. As much as I wasn’t looking forward to moving, I was more than ready to get off the damn hard wood surface that was digging into my bones. I was too old for this shit. Hell, I’d been too old for this shit since I was forty. I was just too stubborn to back down.

“We need to lay him in the backseat of the SUV. He’ll need help getting into his house,” Dread said.

“I’ll go,” Teller said.

“I would, but I don’t want to scare your wife,” Fox said.

“Just help him,” Luciana said. “Don’t worry about me.”

I braced myself for the pain as they lifted me and carried my ass out to the SUV. Luciana had already climbed inside and they eased me down, but I worried about crushing her with my upper body across her thighs. She didn’t seem to care about my weight but ran her fingers through my hair, her gaze full of concern and a bit of fear.

“I’m fine,” I told her. “Just need some rest and I’ll be good as new. It’s not the first time I’ve been shot.”

“It better be the last,” she said, then her cheeks flushed.

Shooter chuckled. “Spoken like a true wife. We’ll have you home in a moment, Pres. Teller’s going to drive you, and the rest of us will follow.”

Luciana held onto me as the SUV slowly headed toward our house. Funny. That was the first time I’d thought of the place as ours. When we came to a stop and Teller got out, I was both relieved and dreaded being moved again. I knew I had to be covering Luciana in my blood, but she didn’t seem to care. Well, she cared I was bleeding, but I didn’t think she minded that it was getting on her clothes and skin. The back door opened on Luciana’s side.

“I’ll go in and get the bed ready if that’s all right,” Teller said.

“Yes,” Luciana said. “Maybe something to clean him off? He can’t be comfortable with the blood drying on his skin. A warm wet cloth?”

Teller nodded and I closed my eyes a moment. I felt Luciana’s light touch as she brushed her fingers over my cheeks, down my beard, and then smoothed my hair back. Her hand trembled and I knew she was scared. I felt like an asshole for doing this to her, and for what? More money? I wasn’t ready to step down as President, but maybe I could delegate more tasks, not take point quite as often. She needed me, and the kid in her belly would too.

A shadow fell across me and I opened my eyes to see Bear leaning into the vehicle. A glance in the other direction showed Shooter and Fox opening the door with grim looks. Teller came back with the cloth Luciana had requested and she wiped down the front of me, but Fox had to help turn me so she could reach my back. I felt like a fucking infant and hated this shit.

“I’m not dead, you dumbasses. I can get out of the car.”

“Sure you can, Pres,” Fox said with a smirk. “But we’re going to help just the same.”

Despite their words, I did my best to get out of the SUV on my own, then staggered my way into the house with Fox supporting my weight. Luciana was within sight the entire time and rushed ahead of us. She smoothed the sheets on the bed and plumped my pillow like I was an invalid or something. I wasn’t going to say anything, though, not since she seemed to feel the need to do something to help. Fox helped me sit on the edge of the bed, then Luciana knelt at my feet and removed my boots. I eased my legs up on the bed and leaned back against the pillows.

“Everyone out. My wife will let you know if I stop breathing.”

“Not funny,” Fox muttered, but he walked out along with the others. Teller hung back, hovering in the doorway.

“What’s up, kid?” I asked.

“Maybe I should stay close? In case you need something?” he asked, his gaze skirting to Luciana, then back to me.

I looked at the woman now kneeling on the bed next to me. She didn’t seem overly concerned about Teller in the house. Maybe getting shot wasn’t such a bad thing after all, if it meant she’d finally trust the men in my club.

“Let him stay,” Luciana said, her accent thicker than usual. It was a clue to just how worried she was right then.

“All right. You can stay, Teller, but not in this damn room.”

He gave me a salute and walked off. I took Luciana’s hand and kissed it.

“I’m fine,” I assured her.

“They said you lost a lot of blood. I saw it! You’re not fine. You’re pale and you could have died!”

“Luciana, my life is dangerous. I’m the President of this club and that means I have to take certain risks. But I’ll try to delegate more of those jobs to the others. I know you need me and I don’t want to leave this earth too soon. I can’t promise I’ll never get shot again.”

“When that man came and told me you’d been hurt, I think my heart stopped,” she said. “I know we’re still strangers for the most part, but it scared me. I already care about you, Trent. I don’t want to lose you.”

I kissed her hand again. “I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart.”

“You should rest,” she said. “I’ll make some soup when you wake up. Or maybe I should check with a doctor? I don’t know what to do for you.”

“Some Tylenol would be a good start,” I said.

She nodded and eased off the bed, careful not to jostle me. She retrieved the bottle from the bathroom, then walked out only to return a few minutes later with a glass of water. I took the pills from her and swallowed them, then guzzled the rest of the cool liquid in the glass.

Luciana took the glass from me and I closed my eyes. I heard her walk out of the room once more, and that was the last conscious thought I had until after night had fallen. I didn’t know how I’d slept for so long, but the raised voices in the front of the house were enough to wake me. I groaned as I eased my legs over the side of the bed, then took a breath before rising to my feet. The room swayed, and so did I. After a moment, I took a hesitant step, then another. My head began to clear and even though I hurt like a bitch, I kept going, needing to find out what was going on.

When I got to the living room, it was to find Teller in front of a sobbing Luciana and my son, Ryker, yelling the damn house down. Like getting shot wasn’t bad enough! Now I had to deal with this shit. I leaned against the doorframe, more out of necessity than anything else.

“What the fuck is going on?” I asked, my voice not as loud or as strong as I’d have liked.

“You got shot,” Ryker said. “And this… this…” He waved a Luciana. “Wouldn’t let me see you. Since when do you keep whores in the house?”

I pushed off the doorframe and advanced into the room. I hauled back my fist and slammed it into my son’s jaw, then nearly passed the fuck out from the pain. Teller braced my weight as I glared at my son.

“That’s my wife, asshole. Watch your tongue.”

Ryker worked his jaw back and forth, then looked from me to Luciana and back again. “Is this some sort of joke? She’s younger than me!”

“And? What business is it of yours? Your life isn’t here anymore, Ryker. Hasn’t been for a while. I didn’t bitch at you about knocking up Laken. Not much anyway. I’m a grown-ass man, and your father. I don’t owe you an explanation.”

“I came to check on you because Slider said you were shot twice. Some warning I had a stepmother younger than myself or my wife would have been nice. You should sit down before you fall down.”

I grunted in agreement and Teller helped me over to the couch. I sat and propped my feet on the coffee table. Motioning to Luciana, I held her hand as she sat beside me.

“Ryker, this is Luciana. You don’t have to like the fact we’re married, but she’s not going anywhere, so you might as well get used to it. She’s also pregnant.”

Ryker blinked. Then blinked again. “You can’t have kids.”

“Doesn’t mean I won’t claim this one,” I said.

“So some whore gets knocked up and you just…” Ryker didn’t get to finish his sentence before Teller hit him, landing a solid punch to my son’s gut. The kid cast a glance my way, clearly concerned that he’d just technically hit a club member, but my son needed to learn his place.

“Luciana isn’t a whore,” I said. “You know nothing about her or what she’s suffered. So why don’t you shut up before I let Teller knock your teeth down your throat? Not sure Laken would appreciate it if I sent you home all banged up.”

“This is bullshit,” he said, then glared at Teller. “I should call a vote to have you kicked out. You just assaulted a patched member of this club.”

Teller didn’t so much as flinch. “Go ahead.”

I snorted and coughed to cover my laugh. The kid had some balls, that was for certain. “Anyone asks, I authorized that hit,” I told him. “Ryker, I love you, but you’re a pain in my Goddamn ass right now. Where’s Laken and my grandson?”

“At home,” he said.

“Right. Home. As in not at the Hades Abyss compound. You might still wear the cut, but you haven’t been a true part of us for a while, son. You’re always welcome here, and I’m not going to ask you to remove that cut, but you don’t get a vote here anymore. You’re more Reaper than anything at this point.”

That made Ryker pause. “You wouldn’t be pissed if I asked to patch in with them? You said something before, but I didn’t think you meant it. You’d always wanted me to take over one day.”

“Nope. Been waiting on you to ask. The liaison thing was all bullshit, just a way to keep you down there for Laken’s sake. You don’t need an excuse anymore. They’ve welcomed you into the fold. If you want to be a Dixie Reaper, I won’t stand in the way.”

He nodded. “I’ll think about it.”

“Got a place to stay?” I asked.

“I put my bag in the guest room before your wife found me wandering the house and lost her shit.”

“Probably scared her,” I said. “She doesn’t do well around strange men.”

Ryker stared at Luciana hard, and after a moment his gaze softened. The look he gave me was one full of understanding, and I wondered if he’d put the pieces together. With Sofia at the Dixie Reapers, I knew that he had to know about Mateo Gomez by this point. He gave me a nod and eased down onto a chair across the room.

“I won’t stay long, but I had to make sure you were all right. I can head out tomorrow if you’d like, but I promised Gabriel I’d have his grandpa call and talk to him. He’s worried.”

“I’ll call him in a bit.” My stomach rumbled and Luciana made a sound of distress.

“I forgot to make the soup!” She shot up off the couch, but I grabbed her hand.

“It’s fine. Teller can run grab something for everyone. There’s a café on the other end of town that has good soup. He can grab me something there, and maybe a sandwich. Just tell him what you want to eat.”

“I’m supposed to take care of you,” she said, her eyes welling with tears. “I’m failing as a wife.”

“No, you’re not. It’s been a long, stressful day for you. Sit and keep me company.”

She nodded and sat back down. After we all gave Teller our orders, he left and Ryker watched me and Luciana like he was trying to figure out a puzzle. I really did love my son, but I’d also been right when I called him a pain in my ass. He had been for as long as I could remember, but I was damn proud of him. He’d served his country, then came home and found a good woman and settled down. Even if he wasn’t here with me anymore, I knew he’d grown into a dependable man and a great father. It was all I could ask for.

Now I just had to hope I didn’t screw up the kid who hadn’t been born yet. The thought of fatherhood to a newborn in my sixties was damn terrifying. Luciana hadn’t said for certain she was keeping the kid, but the way she’d hesitated about me wanting to be a father again, I knew she was thinking about it. Or maybe she’d decided and just hadn’t come right out and said it yet.

My life was getting too fucking complicated.

Chapter Six

Luciana

When the man had knocked on the door, I’d been too scared to open it. Then he’d said that Spider was hurt and I’d thrown open the door, no longer caring if the man posed a threat to me. All I knew was that if Spider was injured, then I needed to get to him. At the clubhouse, I’d seen the massive amount of blood and I’d worried that he would die. He was still paler than usual, even though it had been five days since the shooting. His son, Ryker, had come and gone, and I couldn’t exactly say I was sad to see him leave.

Spider was still taking it easy, but that was mostly due to me fretting over him. The looks he’d cast my way clearly said he’d rather be up and handling club business, but I’d pulled the “worried pregnant woman” card and I wasn’t ashamed of it in the least. It hadn’t taken me long to learn that he would do what he could to protect me, even if it meant keeping me as stress free as possible.

“Maybe you should go see your sister,” Spider suggested as he flipped through the channels on the TV.

“Are you trying to get rid of me so you can sneak away to the clubhouse?”

He gave me a sideways glance. “Maybe.”

“Dread said you needed to rest and heal. What part of that is so difficult for you?”

“The part where the asshole club that shot me is still out there. The part where I have no fucking clue what to do about your father and need to meet with Casper to discuss it. The part where I can’t stand sitting on the fucking couch watching movies all Goddamn day.”

I folded my arms and stared at him with my lips pursed. “Is that all?”

He snorted, then chuckled, only to wince in pain. It proved my point that he wasn’t ready to dive back into things headfirst, but I knew he was a stubborn man. A proud man, not being able to handle everything was bothering him. He was a leader, but the kind who liked to get his hands dirty. I was learning that Spider would never ask one of his men to do something he himself wasn’t prepared to do, or that he hadn’t already done in the past.

“Is it so horrible?” I asked.

“What? Being shot?”

“Staying here with me all day,” I said softly.

His gaze locked on me and he reached out a hand, beckoning for me to come closer. I carefully sat next to him, not want to make him hurt more than he already did. Spider reached up and loosened my bun, wrapping the length of my hair around his fingers. I’d noticed he seemed fascinated with it, which was the only reason I hadn’t cut it off yet.

He gave my hair a tug and I leaned in closer. When his lips brushed against mine, I couldn’t hold back my sigh of pleasure. I’d been so careful not to do anything that might hurt him, but I’d missed his kisses. I worried about him pulling or ripping his stitches, but as his mouth moved against mine, everything faded away except the taste and feel of him.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I never meant to make you feel like I don’t want to be here with you.”

“I know you didn’t exactly choose me, that I was forced on you, but I care about you, Trent. I don’t like seeing you in pain, and I’m worried you’ll hurt yourself more if you don’t slow down and rest.”

His thumb caressed my jaw. “Whether I planned to claim you or not, you’re mine. That means I have a responsibility to not just keep you safe, but I want you to be happy too. I didn’t care with Ryker’s mom, and that’s on me. I was young and stupid. I also felt like she trapped me with her pregnancy. I went into this thing with you with my eyes wide open, Luciana. I’m here because I want to be.”

“I like having you home,” I admitted. “Even if we just watch movies or take a nap together. It’s nice having you close.”

“Then I’ll take as much time as Dread suggests and we’ll spend those days together. Maybe we can even leave the compound and do something that doesn’t require a lot of activity. With my advanced years I can see why everyone is so worried.”

I narrowed my eyes. “If you hadn’t been shot twice, I’d be tempted to hit you right now. Advanced years? Really?”

He grinned and I knew he’d said it on purpose, knowing how much it irritated me. Ryker had made a huge deal of the age difference between us, and I’d watched it take a toll on Spider. While he was quick to say he was too old for me, I knew it hurt to hear someone else voice that same opinion. It had to be weird knowing his dad would be raising another kid, one younger than Ryker’s own son, but it hadn’t been enough reason for him to be so rude.

The longer I lived with Spider, the more I found myself speaking out about what I wanted. Not just with the man I was married to, but with the others as well. When Ryker had shown up and gotten loud with me, I hadn’t cowered, though that might have had something to do with the fact his dad had been shot and I was too worried about Spider to think about being afraid of everyone else. But I knew a good dose of my confidence just had to do with being out from under my father’s thumb. I’d noticed some changes in Violeta as well. The good kind.

“I don’t like being cooped up in the house,” he said. “We should go somewhere. Is there anything you need?”

I fingered my hair. “I’d thought of getting a haircut.”

He stared at my long tresses and a look of longing crossed his face.

“But since you seem to like it so much, I guess I’ll keep it the way it is,” I said.

“No. If you want to get it cut, then you should. I’m not going to dictate how you style your hair, or what clothes you wear. I want you to do whatever makes you happy, Luciana.”

“Being with you is what makes me happy,” I said. “You’ve given me a home, Spider. A place where I feel safe.”

He grumbled.

“Sorry. Trent. It’s just… you don’t seem like a Trent to me. Spider suits you.”

“If you would prefer to call me Spider, that’s fine. But you’re welcome to call me Trent when it’s just us.” He placed a hand over my belly. “I should take you to the doctor. Make sure everything’s all right.”

“I think you need more time at home before we venture out anywhere. I know you think you’re invincible, but you aren’t.”

“Luciana --”

I held up my hand. “What happens to me and this baby if you die? I know you think everyone will let us stay here, will take care of us, but they’ll pick a new President, right? What if he doesn’t want us here?”

He just stared and didn’t say anything. I licked my lips and leaned in a little closer.

“Spider, I need you. But it’s more than that. I want you. You make me feel safe, feel special. No one’s ever treated me the way you do, or made me feel the things I feel around you.”

He tugged my face toward his and kissed me again.

“I don’t deserve you,” he said.

“How much are you hurting right now?” I asked.

“Not much.”

I pulled away and studied him. He was a liar, but I knew he’d never admit to being in pain. Maybe I could take his mind off his wounds for a bit. I knelt between his legs. Slowly, I opened his pants and pulled out his cock. His heated gaze tracked my movements as I stroked his shaft. If cocks could be described as pretty, Spider’s would be beautiful. I leaned down and lapped at the head before sucking him into my mouth. He groaned and his hand went to my hair, fisting the strands as I wrapped my tongue around him and sucked long and hard. It felt like forever since he’d been inside me, but I didn’t want to chance him straining himself or popping his stitches.

I cupped his balls and rolled them in my hand as I licked and teased him. He gave my hair a tug until I’d taken all of him, the head of his cock pushing against the back of my throat. He held me there and my eyes watered. His cock twitched and jerked in my mouth, then he pulled me off before urging me back down again. I let him control my motions and soon his pre-cum was liberally coating my tongue.

“So good,” he murmured. “That’s it, baby girl. Take every inch.”

I could tell he was close, so I sucked harder. It wasn’t long before he growled and jet after jet of his hot cum filled my mouth. I swallowed it, then licked him clean.

“Bedroom,” he said.

“But we shouldn’t…”

He placed a finger over my lips.

“Bedroom, wife. We’ll work it out, but I’m not going to leave you unsatisfied.”

I nodded and rose to my feet. He still looked paler than usual and I knew he wasn’t healed enough for what he had in mind, but telling him that was useless. The man would do what he wanted, for the most part. I’d managed to keep him locked up in the house so far, but I knew time was running out. He’d eventually go back to the clubhouse and take care of business as usual, whatever that meant. I just hoped it didn’t involve more bullets.

I stayed close to his side in case he needed me, and when we got to the bedroom, I stripped off my clothes. He’d only been wearing jeans around the house since his T-shirts rubbed against his stitches. Spider quickly dropped them and kicked them away. He got on the bed and knelt, then patted the mattress.

I climbed onto the bed, but I didn’t know what he planned to do. With a nod of his head, he directed me to lie down in front of him. Stretching out, I bracketed his body with my thighs and watched to see what he’d do next. Spider reached into the bedside table drawer and pulled out… a pink vibrator?

“When did you get that?” I asked.

“Next Day shipping,” he said. “I knew I couldn’t properly take care of you for a bit longer. Didn’t seem fair to make you wait. If you like this one, I can order more.”

He turned on the toy, then parted the lips of my pussy. I gasped and my body tensed when he placed the vibrator against my clit. Spider chuckled and turned up the speed on the toy, causing me to squeal and arch off the bed. It was intense, too intense. I screamed as I came in less than a minute. He kept rubbing my clit with the buzzing pink silicone, turning it up even higher. It felt like my orgasm went on forever.

When I didn’t think I could take another moment, he pushed the toy inside me.

“Oh, God! Oh, God! Spider!”

He fucked me with it, hard short strokes. The noises coming from me sounded inhuman as I rode the edge of pleasure. Spider pulled the toy from inside me and rubbed my clit with it again. He alternated between teasing me and fucking me, making me feel like I was losing my mind as I came again and again. I hadn’t even known such a thing was possible. Spider wrung yet another release from me. My thighs were shaking and my body was slick with sweat.

“Can’t,” I murmured. “Can’t come again. Too much.”

He shut off the toy and tossed it aside, then gripped my thighs and pulled me closer. I gasped as his cock brushed against me.

“Spider, no. You’ll hurt yourself.”

“Let me worry about that. Need you, baby girl. Too damn much.”

I bit my lip, not wanting to argue because I needed him every bit as much. He sank into me, his hand gripping my ass. Spider’s eyes slid shut a moment, a look of complete bliss crossing his face. He pumped in and out of me, long slow strokes. The push and pull of his cock felt incredible. It wasn’t the hard fucking I’d grown accustomed to, but it was just as amazing, if not better. Spider reached for the toy again and turned it back on. He used it to tease my clit as he thrust again and again.

“Spider.” I moaned, gripping the sheets tight. “So good. Don’t stop.”

“Come on my cock, baby girl. Give me that cream.”

I whimpered as he turned the toy up another notch. It only took a moment before I was screaming his name. He grunted as he drove his cock into me and I felt his cum filling me up. I came twice more before he stopped, buried inside me and bracing his weight on one hand. His breathing was labored, and his face was flushed. I glanced at his shoulder, happy to see the stitches were holding.

“Not old,” I said. “You can never call yourself that again. Any man who can make me come that many times, and get hard twice in the same hour, is far from old.”

He chuckled, then shut off the toy. Slowly, he pulled free of my body and rolled onto his side with a groan. I cuddled against him while trying not to hurt him. Spider pressed a kiss to my forehead.

“I’m tingling from head to toe,” I murmured.

“I think you can come a few more times,” he said.

“No,” I said quickly.

“Mmm. Bet you can.” He picked up the toy and held it out to me, but I didn’t reach for it. “I want to watch you get yourself off.”

My mouth dropped open and my eyes went wide as I stared at him. He wanted me to what? He put the toy into my hand and propped himself on his elbow.

“Come on, baby girl. Give me a show.” He winked and smiled.

I stared at the toy a moment, then clicked it on. Stretching out on my back, I spread my thighs and teased my clit. I circled the nub slowly, drawing out the pleasure. My gaze locked with Spider’s, then dropped to his chest, down his abs, and to his cock which was still wet from our mingled release. I bit my lip and worked my clit harder. When my orgasm tore through me, I plunged the toy into my pussy and fucked myself with it hard and fast.

“That’s it,” he murmured. “Come for me again.”

I pulled the toy out and rubbed it on my clit once more, spreading my thighs wider. My hips lifted and I felt Spider cup my ass with his hand. His fingers slid between my ass cheeks and I gasped as he rubbed the tight hole hidden there. He used my cream to lubricate me, then fucked my ass with his finger as I used the toy to get off again. I was nearly crying the emotions were so intense.

Spider took the toy from me, easing it out of my pussy, then pressing it against that tight ring of muscle. I gasped as he pressed the tip inside. He didn’t push it in any farther, just held it there a moment before pulling it back out.

“I’m going to fuck you there one day,” he said. “But only when you beg me for it.”

“Spider,” I said softly.

“Rest, Luciana. We’ll get cleaned up after a nap. Or maybe I’ll make you come some more.”

I sighed and closed my eyes, curling against him.

“Stay?” I asked softly.

“Of course. There’s nowhere I’d rather be than here with you.” He lightly touched my belly. “Both of you.”

“Ryker doesn’t like me,” I said.

“Ryker doesn’t have to, but he does have to refrain from being an asshole when he visits. I’ll handle my son. Although, one phone call and I’m sure Laken will sort him out pretty quick. She wouldn’t have tolerated his bullshit.”

“I’d like to meet her, and your grandson.” I smiled sleepily. “Does this mean I’m a grandma?”

He chuckled softly. “Yeah, guess it does. Don’t worry. Laken and Gabriel will love you, and Ryker will come around. I haven’t had a woman in my life since his mother, even though I couldn’t stand her. It’s probably a little strange for him to see me with someone, especially someone younger than him.”

“He did seem rather hung up on our age difference. And the baby.” I rubbed my belly. “I don’t want to cause a problem between you and your family, Spider.”

He pressed a kiss to my lips. “You’re my family now too, Luciana. You and the baby. I’m not letting you go, regardless of whether my son gets his head out of his ass or not.”

He grunted as he lay flat on the bed and I leaned over him. The wound in his shoulder seemed to be healing well. With a nudge, I got him to roll onto his stomach and I winced when I saw the one in his lower back. It was angry and red, a little swollen, and when I touched it, it felt overly warm. I didn’t know much about gunshot wounds, but I knew the moment he fell asleep I was calling Dread. Something didn’t seem right with it, and I’d feel better if the club doctor looked at him. And I’d have to find a way to keep my hands off Spider, and make sure he didn’t push himself too hard. We shouldn’t have had sex. I’d only meant to relieve some of his tension, not take things even further.

I’d only been his wife for less than two weeks and already I felt like I was failing him. I hoped when the baby came that I’d be a better mother than I was a wife. A soft snore slipped from Spider’s lips and I picked up his phone, quickly dialing Dread’s number.

“Hello,” said a gruff voice.

“Dread? It’s Luciana,” I said.

“Everything all right?”

“Um, it’s Spider. The wound on his lower back looks irritated. I was hoping you might be able to come look at it.”

Dread snorted. “He’s asleep, isn’t he?”

“Yes.”

“Figured. No way the Pres would let you call me about his wounds otherwise. I’ll swing by in a bit. If he’s resting, that’s really the best thing for him right now. I’ll bring some supplies just in case it’s worse than I’m thinking. He’s probably just strained himself. I thought he was being a good patient.”

My cheeks warmed. “He was. Until today.”

“Do I want to know?”

“Probably not,” I said.

“Give me an hour. Two tops and I’ll be there. Anything changes with him between now and then, call me back.”

“Thank you,” I said softly, then ended the call.

I stared at the man lying next to me. Never would I have imagined wanting to be intimate with someone or trusting them as much as I trusted Spider. He’d changed my life. My emotions were all over the place lately, but I had just thought it was the surging hormones from my pregnancy. Maybe it was more. Was I starting to fall in love with Spider?

I’d never experienced love before. I had no idea what it looked like or felt like. The love I felt for my sisters was different from what I felt for Spider, but that seemed logical enough. They were my family, my blood. Spider was a man who made my senses come alive, made my body beg for his attention. I was either just deeply in lust with my husband, or I loved him. He hadn’t signed up for that, so I would keep those thoughts to myself unless things changed. Maybe one day it would be the right time to tell him. But that day wasn’t today.

Chapter Seven

Spider

Three damn weeks of sitting on my ass. Even worse, other than the one day Luciana had surprised me with a blow job that had ended with some of the best sex I’d ever experienced, she’d refused to touch me other than holding my hand or giving me a gentle hug. She’d called in Dread, and I’d been read the riot act on taking better care of myself when it looked like the wound in my back was getting infected. He’d injected me with antibiotics and given me a bottle of pills. Little did my wife realize I’d been given the all clear this morning. She was in for a surprise later.

Fox sat across the kitchen table from me, sipping a cup of coffee as I toyed with one of my own. Having to sit on the sidelines while my club took care of business was starting to piss me off. I was the Goddamn President. I should be out there knocking heads together, not stuck in this house. Despite the fact I was technically healed enough to resume normal activities, I was a little concerned about leaving Luciana for too long. I’d seen the fear in her eyes when I’d been shot and I didn’t want to put her through that again so soon, and if I went after her father then I probably wouldn’t make it out completely unscathed.

“The Chaos Killers had two chapters in Missouri, not one like we’d thought. As of last night, both have been wiped out. We sent a clear message to any others in the surrounding areas that retaliation wouldn’t be tolerated and they would meet the same fate if they fucked with us,” Fox said.

“Any word from Casper VanHorne? Fucker is ghosting me.”

“From what I’ve gathered, he’s gone dark. Even Torch and Isabella haven’t heard anything. I’ve put out some feelers to see if there’s movement on Mateo Gomez, but so far, the man seems to be in business as usual. Whatever Casper is up to, it either doesn’t involve Gomez, or he’s being so fucking discreet there’s not so much as a whisper about it.”

“And knowing Casper, that’s a good possibility,” I said.

“Look, Pres. I know it sucks being housebound, and if you didn’t have a pregnant wife then no one would say a word about you resuming your duties.”

“But I do have a pregnant wife,” I said.

“Yes, and the club is starting to like Luciana. A lot. They don’t want to upset her or Violeta. And if Luciana is upset, then so is Violeta. They’ve been through hell but seem to be settling into life here, and I’d even go so far as to say they’re happy. No one wants to fuck that up.” Fox blew out a breath. “I know Dread gave you the all clear, but I just think you should take some extra time.”

“I’ll think about it. A few days wouldn’t hurt, but anything beyond that is out of the question. I’d expected to see more of Violeta. She doesn’t come visit Luciana that much,” I said.

“Probably because Rocket freaks the hell out when he can’t find her.” Fox smiled a little. “I know she’s young, too young for a relationship, but don’t be surprised if he claims her one day. He’s an even bigger watchdog with her than he was over Rhianon, and you know how protective he felt about his sister. Maybe it’s because Rhianon died, but something tells me that isn’t it.”

“Any word on Sofia? I’m sure Saint is taking good care of her, but he seemed less than pleased about having her around his daughter.”

Fox shook his head. “I haven’t asked, and the few times I’ve spoken to Torch he hasn’t volunteered the information.”

“Just wondered if either of them are pregnant like Luciana. The way Violeta reacted when asked about it makes me think at least one of them is.”

Fox hesitated and that was enough to tell me something had happened.

“What?” I asked.

“Violeta was pregnant.”

“Was?” I asked.

“She miscarried. It’s part of why Rocket is keeping her on such a tight leash. If she’s out of his sight, he tracks her down. He found her in the bathroom floor, bleeding all over the damn place. No one said anything to Luciana or you. Didn’t want to cause either of you more stress than you’re already under. She’s fine, and it looks like she can still have kids if she wants them in the future.”

“What kind of fucking monster rapes and tortures girls? And then gets them pregnant?” I asked. “I want Mateo Gomez to pay, as well as any men who hurt those girls.”

“The club is behind you on that one hundred percent. And I know the Dixie Reapers feel the same. I do find it a little odd that Gomez supposedly sent his girls here as a way to make an alliance with the clubs, and yet none of us have heard from him. Shouldn’t he have at least checked in by now?” Fox asked.

He was right. I’d thought the same thing, that something seemed off. The man sent his daughters here to smooth things over, create a bond with the clubs, and yet he hadn’t called to check on the girls or ask for a single favor. Men like Gomez would strike while the iron was hot. It was unsettling and made me wonder what sort of trouble was on the horizon for us. If he’d planned to use his daughters as moles, I had a feeling it had backfired on him. I didn’t see either Luciana or Violeta volunteering information to their father or ever wanting to speak to the man again.

I sipped my coffee and thought about what our next move should be. I didn’t have a way to reach Gomez on my own, but it didn’t mean that he wasn’t doing business stateside. Something I could interfere with, even on a small scale. Maybe not enough to point a gun in the club’s direction, but enough to irritate the man and make him slip up. I wanted him to contact us, wanted a way to reach him. Then I’d string him up by his balls and exact revenge for the hell he’d put his daughters through over the years.

“Find out where his shipments are going here in the US,” I said. “And I want to know who’s handling them.”

“You going to steal the man’s drugs?” Fox asked.

“Among other things. I don’t think he’s just dealing drugs. That might be what he’s importing into our country, but something has to be going out and I’m betting it’s more than money. Have Surge check the missing persons’ reports and see if there’s an uptick since Gomez came into power.”

“Human trafficking?” Fox asked. “You think he’s swapping drugs for girls?”

“With the way he treated his daughters? Yeah. Women are nothing but pawns to him, only good for what he can get from them. I also want to find out all we can about every business he owns in Colombia and elsewhere in South America.”

“Am I looking for something in particular?” Fox asked.

“Brothels. Luciana said her father’s men whored her out for a night when she disobeyed. I doubt he had customers come to his house.”

“And for him to have that sort of clientele on the ready it means he knows where to find them,” Fox said. “This fucker makes my stomach turn.”

“You and me both,” I said.

“I know that look,” Fox said. “You’re not looking for just your everyday brothel, are you?”

“Nope. The girls were young when they were first raped and sold. Too young. Luciana mentioned how much she feared her father getting his hands on her baby, what he’d make the kid do.”

Fox turned a little green, and I knew he was following me now. Gomez was a sick fuck, and those under him seemed to be every bit as evil. As much as I hated all this international bullshit that the clubs kept getting involved in, it was time to do something about the fuckers coming into my damn country for this shit. I might sell drugs and guns, but I made damn sure they didn’t get into the hands of kids. If I heard someone dealt my drugs to teens, I took care of it. I might not walk on the right side of the law, but I still had a few morals. Since my club had a permanent tie to Colombia now, thanks to my wife, it might be time to do something about the issues over there. Or at least set up a few men to keep an eye on things.

“I’m on it,” Fox said. He drained the last of his coffee and stood, but he hesitated before leaving. “I know I’m your VP and you’re in charge, but I’m also your friend. When this shit is settled and you know Luciana is safe, you should take a vacation. A real one. Take your woman on a honeymoon or something. Go to a resort somewhere nice. You haven’t taken a break in over twenty years that I know of, unless it was medically necessary, and I think Luciana would appreciate a change of scenery.”

I nodded and waved him off. Fox was right. He wasn’t just my VP, and I knew he made the suggestion for my benefit and Luciana’s. The fact he was thinking of my wife, trying to ensure her happiness, made me smile. If anything ever happened to me, I knew Fox would keep an eye on her. She’d found a home here with the club. I just hoped I was around another thirty years to enjoy my time with her, watch that kid grow up. But in this life, nothing was ever guaranteed.

I heard the front door shut and I finished my coffee, enjoying the silence for a moment. I contemplated waking Luciana but decided to get more coffee and let her rest. She’d been so worried about me I hadn’t been able to convince her to see a doctor yet. While I enjoyed the second mug of java, I looked up doctors on my phone. As good as Dread was, he wasn’t the right type of doctor to ensure Luciana and the baby were doing okay. There were a few OB-GYNs in the area, so I picked the one with the highest rating and called to set an appointment. I’d learned early on that money talked so I offered to pay extra if they’d see her today.

After I disconnected the call, I sent a text to Knox.

Get insurance for the club. Need to make sure Luciana is covered, and Violeta.

It only took a moment for him to respond. On it.

I hoped the insurance would cover the baby. From what I remembered of Ryker’s birth, that shit was expensive, and probably triple the amount it had been back then. Not that my bank accounts weren’t pretty flush, but there was no sense throwing money at doctors when an insurance policy would cover the majority of it. I was frugal, not cheap, or so I told myself. Maybe it came from being born to parents who had lived through the Great Depression. Not that all their lessons had stuck, obviously.

I smiled faintly as I thought about them. My mother would have loved Luciana. Both of my parents would have hated how I turned out, but I knew they would still love me. I’d lost both of them too soon. Even Ryker hadn’t had a chance to know them. Luciana’s kid wouldn’t have grandparents from either side, which was rather sad, but I knew plenty of kids never met theirs. I hadn’t. Ryker didn’t remember his. If I had any say in the matter, Mateo Gomez wouldn’t be drawing breath much longer. Even if he did manage to get out of this alive, I’d never let him anywhere near my family. I’d rather spend the rest of my life behind bars if it meant that Luciana and the baby would be safe.

Speaking of my beautiful wife… she wandered into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes as she blinked sleepily. Her hair was disheveled but she looked adorable, especially wearing one of my shirts and nothing else. Well, almost nothing else I amended as she stretched to reach for a glass and the shirt rode up, exposing a pair of pink panties.

“Morning,” I said.

“I didn’t sleep too long, did I?” she asked.

“You can sleep as long as you want. You’re growing another person, Luciana. It’s going to make you more tired than usual.”

She nodded and pulled the orange juice from the fridge, then filled a glass. She set the carton down, then stared at it. I bit my lip so I wouldn’t laugh. I’d learned that Luciana wasn’t much of a morning person and it took a good half hour before she became fully alert. She seemed to shake it off and put away the orange juice, then sat at the table with her glass.

“I made an appointment for you this morning,” I said. “Just to make sure everything is all right with the baby.”

“Should you --”

I held up a hand and cut her off. “I’m perfectly fine, Luciana. I’m not dying, the stitches dissolved nearly two weeks ago, the infection is gone. I’m plenty capable of driving you to an appointment, but since I still don’t know what’s going on with your father we’ll take a few men with us. Better safe than sorry.”

She nodded. “I’m sorry. I’ve just been so worried about you.”

“I know.” I reached out and grabbed her hand. “It’s nice to have someone worry over me, but I’m perfectly fine, and all the stress isn’t good for you and the baby.”

She dropped her gaze. “Violeta should have an appointment.”

“Because she’s pregnant?” I asked, wondering if she’d known about her sister and had kept quiet.

Slowly, she nodded, then chanced a glance in my direction. I gave her what I hoped was a reassuring smile.

“Sweetheart, I hate to tell you this, but Violeta lost her baby. She’s fine, and Rocket is taking good care of her.”

The tension eased from her shoulders. “Good. Is it horrible that I’m glad she isn’t pregnant anymore?”

“No, not considering the circumstances. She’s young. Too young. But if she’d had the baby and decided to give it up, we’d have made sure the kid found a good home. And if she’d had it and wanted to keep it, then we’d have helped with that too. Neither of you are alone anymore, Luciana. You have an entire family standing behind you, whether they’re blood or not.”

“When’s my appointment?” she asked.

“You have enough time to have some breakfast, shower, and get ready to go without rushing.”

“So I can sit here a little longer?” she asked.

“Of course.” I leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Drink your juice and I’ll fix you something to eat. Eggs and toast sound okay?”

She nodded and yawned widely.

I smiled as I pulled the eggs and milk from the fridge. I couldn’t remember ever thinking a woman was as cute as Luciana. Everything she did fascinated me in some way. I’d be perfectly content to just sit and watch her. Although, that sounded a little creepy now that I thought about it. But I did like watching her twirl her hair around her finger, or the way she bit her lip when she was nervous. The shy smile she gave me at times. Everything about her made me want to learn even more.

Fuck. Me. I was falling in love with my wife. I’d realized a while back that I cared about her, more than I’d ever cared about a woman, but this was more than just caring. I wanted to see her smile, wanted to make her happy, give her everything she’d ever wanted and never had. Yep. I was in love with my wife. I glanced her way, but she wasn’t paying me the least bit of attention. I didn’t know if she’d be happy to hear that I’d fallen for her, or if it would scare her off. We hadn’t entered into this with love on either of our minds. It had been an agreement and nothing more. Yeah, sex had been part of it, but not emotions.

I finished the eggs and stuck the bread into the toaster. I knew she liked hers barely browned, so the level popped a minute later and I slathered the slices in butter before plating them. When I set the dish down in front of Luciana, she gave me a smile and her eyes shone with warmth. Taking care of her felt good. I’d taken care of my club for most of my life, even before I’d been the President, but this was different. With Ryker’s mom, we’d tolerated each other, but I hadn’t been ready to settle down. I’d run around on her and not treated her very well. I wouldn’t make that mistake with Luciana.

“You’re not eating?” she asked.

“I had something earlier. Fox came by early to discuss club business so I grabbed a quick meal before he showed up. I didn’t want to wake you since you were sleeping so peacefully.”

“He doesn’t scare me anymore,” she said, not looking at me. “If that’s part of why you didn’t wake me. I know he’s not the same man who hurt me. Everyone has treated me really well, and I’m comfortable here now.”

“I’m glad. They would lay down their lives for you, or for Violeta.”

“I know. It was hard not to see all men as evil. I’d never known anything else. Even Mr. VanHorne left me feeling skeptical. I’d only known that he was working with my father, but I hadn’t realized he was trying to make us safe. I thought he was a broker of sorts.”

“That’s what he wanted your father to think. I believe Mateo Gomez is on borrowed time. Not just as the head of the Colombian cartel, but in life as well. If Casper doesn’t end him, I damn sure will find a way to do it. I don’t want you to feel like you have to look over your shoulder all the time.”

“It’s not just him,” Luciana said. “You’d have to take down all his men as well. There isn’t a single one who is redeemable. All of them are rotten to the core.”

I nodded. “I figured as much. I’m hoping we can find enough of your father’s businesses that we can rescue any women who might be suffering at his hands, or because of his actions. If not my club directly, then others I trust.”

“You’re a good man. Honorable. I’m lucky to be your wife, even if we didn’t say vows in a church.”

I paused, my cup of coffee halfway to my mouth. “You want that? A church wedding?”

She shook her head. “It’s not important to me. When I was little, I would dream of my wedding day and finding the perfect prince who would adore me. As I got older and learned about the monsters living in the world, those dreams changed. I only wanted a place where I could feel safe. I have that with you, and more. I’m happy, Spider, and I don’t need a dress, flowers, or a church to make me feel any more married to you than I am.”

“Surge printed off a copy of a marriage certificate, even if it is completely fabricated by his computer skills, just like our marriage. As far as the state is concerned, we’re legally married thanks to his hacking, but you didn’t exactly agree to all this. If you’d like, we can frame it and hang it somewhere in the house, or I’ll give you a real wedding if you want one.”

She smiled brightly. “I’d like that. Framing the certificate. I don’t need a wedding.”

“You won’t have wedding pictures. Don’t women want that sort of thing?” I asked.

“Maybe we could just take some together here at the compound,” she said almost shyly. “Two houses down there’s a pretty tree with flowers. It would make a nice picture.”

“The dogwood outside Knox’s home?” I asked. Then I wasn’t sure she’d know what a dogwood was. Did they have those in Colombia? “Small tree with white flowers?”

She nodded.

“I think that can be arranged. And if you want to plant flowers or anything else around here, you’re welcome to. Just let me know what you need.”

“I guess if I have an appointment, I should start getting ready.” She leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Thank you. For everything you’ve done for me.”

I waved off her thanks, not needing it. If anyone was thankful, it was me. I hadn’t realized until now that I’d just been living through one day at a time without any true meaning in my life. My club had been my entire world, and there wasn’t anything wrong with that, but Luciana was showing me that I’d been missing out on something amazing.

While Luciana got ready, I cleaned up the kitchen, then browsed SUVs on my phone. With a baby coming, we’d need something other than my bike. Using the club vehicle was fine for now, but we needed a family car that was just ours. Never thought I’d be looking at car seats and shit. It amazed me that I wasn’t the least bit bothered by the thought of raising another kid. Ryker had turned out okay. Hopefully I wouldn’t screw up this one either.

Chapter Eight

Luciana

I stared at the doctor and blinked a few times. “I’m what?”

“Carrying twins,” the doctor repeated. “And you’re severely underweight considering how far along you are. The babies aren’t developing as well as they should be. I’m going to write you a prescription for prenatal vitamins and give you a diet plan to follow to ensure the babies get all the nutrients they need. I’ll want to monitor you closely the next few weeks.”

Spider gripped my hand. “She’s been under a great deal of stress. I’ll make sure she gets plenty of rest and eats properly. Whatever she needs, I’ll make sure she gets it.”

The doctor looked at his cut and stared down her nose at him. I could have sworn her lip even curled in a snarl for a moment. It was clear she didn’t think much of him, and that bothered me a great deal. I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and hoped he’d give in to the request I was about to make. I knew Spider wouldn’t lose his cool with the doctor for fear of upsetting me, especially after the news she’d just given us, but I wasn’t about to stand for her to treat him like he was trash.

Now that I was getting more comfortable with my new life, I’d found that I was more outspoken around other people. I didn’t cower anymore, or fear being reprimanded for disagreeing with someone. Under Spider’s care, I was flourishing, and I loved my new life. With him by my side, I felt like I could do anything. Even take an uppity doctor down a few notches. “Do you think you could give me a minute with the doctor?” I asked.

He glowered at the woman, but kissed my cheek. “I’ll be right outside the door in the hallway.”

The doctor backed as far away from him as she could as Spider walked out, closing the door a little harder than necessary. She folded her arms over her chest and stared at me, her chin jutted out and her jaw tight. Yeah, she wasn’t happy, but I didn’t much care. That man had given me a new life, a home where I was safe and cared for, had family other than my sisters. He wasn’t a bad guy, and I wouldn’t let anyone think otherwise.

“You don’t like him,” I said.

“I don’t like what they stand for. Drugs. Murder. Rape.”

I held up a hand. “I can’t speak as to whether or not they deal in drugs, but I do know that none of the men in Spider’s club, him included, would ever kill an innocent person. I also know they don’t rape anyone.”

I couldn’t say they wouldn’t kill anyone because I had no doubt they’d all murder my father if they had the chance, and I wouldn’t stand in their way. Some people deserved to die, and if Spider and the Hades Abyss wanted to take care of the trash, then I wouldn’t utter a word of complaint. One rotten life in exchange for a bunch of innocents? Wasn’t a hard decision, not for me.

The doctor opened her mouth, but I stopped her before she could spew more hatred.

“Spider is a good, honorable man. This baby isn’t his. Or rather babies,” I said pointing to my stomach. “But I’m his wife now and he’s accepting these children, even though neither of us knows who the father is other than a complete monster. The scars you saw on my body aren’t from my husband. He would never hurt me.”

I told her about my father, about what I’d endured since I was just a teenager, and I made sure she understood that Spider had saved me and Violeta. I couldn’t stand the thought of her believing such horrible things about him, or any of the men in Hades Abyss. As far as I was concerned, they were saints. Angels. Avenging angels maybe, since I knew every last man I’d spoken to wanted my father’s blood for what he’d done to me and my sisters.

“They’re good men,” I said softly. “If you can’t see that, if you can’t give them a chance, then I’ll have to ask Spider to find a different doctor for me. I won’t be seen by someone who’s going to treat him like something she stepped in.”

The doctor sighed and gave me a slight nod, but not before I saw the sheen of tears in her eyes. I wondered if those were for me and my unborn babies, for my sisters, or if something had happened to her. She’d seemed so insistent that Hades Abyss was full of evil men. It made me wonder if she’d known bikers before, maybe some who weren’t as good as the men I now lived with.

“What club hurt you?” I asked, taking a gamble that she’d been mistreated by a biker at some point, or several of them.

Her gaze jerked to mine.

“You’re too adamant they’re bad people without truly knowing them, which means you’ve had a previous experience with bikers. A bad one from what I can tell,” I said.

“I was gang raped by a club before I moved here about six years ago. They caught me by my car on my way home from med school. I was twenty and completely naïve despite what I’d seen in the hospital. My daughter is the product of that night.”

“I knew you looked young,” I said with a smile.

She shrugged. “Graduated high school when I was fifteen and went straight to college. Took the max course load and petitioned for more so I could finish my degrees faster. I haven’t been practicing all that long, but I pride myself on being the best at what I do.”

“You’re amazing,” I said softly. “But so are the men of Hades Abyss. I understand why you don’t want to give them a chance, but I can’t keep seeing you if you’re going to look at them with hate and contempt.”

“Maybe I do have a biased opinion of men like your Spider. If he’s as good as you say, then I’ll give the Hades Abyss a chance. I wouldn’t want anyone to judge me based on someone else’s actions, so I’ll try to do the same for them.”

“Thank you,” I said softly.

The doctor crossed the room and pulled open the door, letting Spider back inside the room. He raised his eyebrows as he looked at me, and I gave him a smile and a nod. I was fine. Although, I did wonder if it would be okay to invite the doctor to the compound sometime. Maybe if she got a chance to spend time with Hades Abyss, she’d see how good they were. I didn’t fool myself into thinking they were law-abiding by any means, but I also didn’t think they would hurt women and children. Assholes like my father were another matter, and I was behind them one hundred percent if they wanted to wipe that type of filth from the face of the earth.

“You ready to go home?” Spider asked.

Honestly? No, I wasn’t. I loved being at the house, knowing I was safe, but being outside the gates was nice too. Other than the one shopping trip, and now this visit to the doctor, I hadn’t left the compound since Spider had brought me here from the airstrip. I was starting to feel like I lived in a cage. A pretty, spacious one, but a cage just the same. After the life I’d led, I was used to being kept under lock and key, but this time it was different. I wasn’t being held hostage by my father and his men. Spider only wanted to keep me safe, and I appreciated that, but I was also ready to experience all I’d missed in my life.

“I’ll call in her prescription. The pharmacy on Main Street?” the doctor asked.

“That works,” Spider said, observing her.

“I’m sorry,” the doctor said, her tone grudging at best. “Your wife pointed out that I was judging you unfairly.”

“Bad experience with a biker?” he asked.

I tugged on Spider’s hand and shook my head, hoping my look conveyed enough that he’d leave it alone. I’d tell him just enough about the doctor that he wouldn’t judge her for her previous behavior, but otherwise it was her story to tell. I just knew my kindhearted husband would do his best to make her feel at ease once he knew that her background with bikers was less than pleasant. She may not have suffered as long as I had, but her experience was no less traumatic. She’d been abused by those men, violated, and I could understand her dislike and fear of Spider.

“Thank you for your time, Doc,” Spider said, holding out his hand. The doctor hesitantly shook it, a strange look crossing her face, before she darted out of the room.

“That went well,” I said. “Looks like you’ll be watching me even closer now.”

He snorted, then laughed. “We’ll get you back on track. Now that we know there’s a problem, we can fix it. Get changed while I go handle the bill and set up your next appointment, assuming you want to come back here.”

I nodded. “She had a really bad experience with bikers, but she knows the scars on my body aren’t from you. I told her that you and your club were honorable and not like the men who hurt her.”

Spider gave me a quick kiss, then ducked out of the room. I started pulling on my clothes and shoved the paper gown in the trash. When I reached the front lobby, Spider had a sheet in his hand with dietary suggestions. He took my hand and led me outside. Teller was waiting for us, along with Marauder and Hornet. Spider refused to let me leave without extra protection, in case we were attacked and he couldn’t keep me safe. I thought it was sweet, even though some women might feel stifled by it. I’d gladly go everywhere with a security detail if it meant my father, or men like him, wouldn’t get their hands on me.

Having lived through hell, I had a slightly different perspective than most people. Even women who had been assaulted might not appreciate all the muscle surrounding me, but I was more than happy to have them along. They didn’t make me feel any less independent, or weak. It just made me feel cherished that the club wanted to keep me safe, even at the possible cost of their own lives. Instead of driving over to the pharmacy, Spider took my hand and led me down the sidewalk. After a moment, I realized we were heading for a park. I couldn’t remember ever going to a park before. It was a beautiful day, and even though the news at the doctor’s office hadn’t been what I’d expected, I felt calmer and more at peace than ever before.

“Any idea what the baby is?” Teller asked from next to me.

“There’s two of them, but we don’t know the sexes yet,” I said.

“Wow, twins?” Teller blinked. “Congratulations!”

“She has to eat better and take vitamins,” Spider said. “The babies aren’t growing as well as they should, which means they want to keep a close eye on her. She goes back in a week.”

Teller frowned. “Will they be okay?”

My heart stopped a moment. I hadn’t even thought to ask. Spider had just said he’d do whatever it took to make me better, to make the babies better, and I hadn’t questioned it. But now I had to wonder if there was a chance the two children growing inside me wouldn’t live long enough to be born or would be born with problems. Was I already a bad mother? I’d been more concerned with how the doctor had treated my husband than over what was happening with the babies.

My stomach churned and I stumbled a little. I placed my hand over my belly and prayed that they would be all right.

“Shut it, youngster,” Spider muttered and wrapped his arm around my waist. “She’s going to be fine and so are the babies.”

Teller nodded. “Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that we haven’t had any kids around the compound other than when Ryker visits with his family. I was kind of looking forward to it.”

I nearly stumbled again as I stopped to stare at Teller. “You want kids at the compound? Why?”

He shrugged. “I like them. They’re so innocent and unspoiled by life. You know they mean whatever they say, and there’s this look of wonder whenever they discover something new. Until they learn the world we live in is complete shit.”

It seemed Teller had depths that no one knew about, since Spider and Marauder were both looking at him like he’d grown a second head. I thought it was sweet, and I had no doubt he’d be a champion to all the kids at the compound -- if mine lived, and if any others came along. As much as I thought Violeta losing her baby was a blessing, I looked forward to raising a family with Spider. Since he’d gotten snipped, the babies inside me were probably my only chance. I knew there were other options like adoption or artificial insemination, but I didn’t know if Spider would go for either of those. He’d taken me on with the kids inside me already on board. Asking him to bring in more kids wouldn’t be fair. Not after he’d gone to the trouble to never have more.

“Why are we at the park?” Marauder asked.

“Luciana likes the tree out in front of Knox’s house. I thought she might enjoy a walk through the park. There’s lots of shit with flowers on it right now,” Spider said.

I bit my lip so I wouldn’t laugh at how eloquent he wasn’t. I was thrilled that he’d thought of something like this, but his delivery could use a little work. Then again, he wouldn’t be Spider if he had said it any other way. As we walked, I noticed that he no longer winced or rubbed at the gunshot wound in his shoulder, and that his back was looking much better too. It made me happy that he’d healed so well. When I’d seen all the blood, I’d been so scared I would lose him. That moment was when I’d known for sure that I loved him. I was just too damn scared to tell him. What if he didn’t feel the same?

“Why don’t the three of you give us a bit of room?” Spider asked as he tugged me over to a bench near a small pond.

Ducks paddled across the water and a breeze ruffled the leaves in the tree behind us. Spider slung his arm around my shoulders and pulled me tight against his side. I’d never done something so normal as enjoying the park with the man I loved. If it weren’t for the fact my babies were in trouble, my life would be pretty perfect. So perfect it scared me. I was waiting for something horrible to happen, for my father to come for me, or something else to happen to Spider.

“We can come back and bring something to feed the ducks,” he said.

“This is nice.” I rested my head on his shoulder and just enjoyed the peaceful moment.

“We’ll do whatever it takes to make sure the babies are all right,” he said. “I know you want to keep them.”

The way he said that made me pause. I pulled away a bit and looked at him.

“I want to keep them, but you don’t?”

He reached out and twirled a piece of my hair around his finger. “It’s not that I don’t want children with you, Luciana, I’m just worried. You want these babies right now, but what if they come out looking like one of the men who hurt you? Can you handle seeing that daily reminder? You’re starting to heal, to get stronger emotionally and mentally, and I don’t want anything to set you back.”

I took his hand and placed it over my belly. “It’s not their fault they were conceived by rape. They’re innocent, Spider. Like me. Victims. You protect the innocent, and I know you’ll do the same for them. They deserve a chance at a good, happy life, just like any other kid.”

He tugged me closer again and kissed me softly. The brush of his lips sent a shiver through me, a reminder we hadn’t been intimate in far too long, and a public park bench wasn’t the best location to start now.

“I was only worried about you,” he said as he drew away. “I will love these kids as if they were of my own flesh and blood. I meant what I said before, that they need never know they aren’t mine in all ways.”

I reached up to cup his cheek, his beard tickling my hand. There was kindness in his eyes, and something else I couldn’t quite pinpoint. The way he watched me sometimes made me think he cared for me, or possibly even more than cared, but I wasn’t sure I had the guts to ask. What if I said I loved him and it made him pull away? He hadn’t asked for my life or affection. He hadn’t asked for any of this.

His phone, along with three others, went off at the same time. Spider pulled his from his pocket and swiped to unlock the screen, scowling at whatever message he saw there. I heard the steps of the others as they came close. He glanced at each of them, and the tension increased until my own heart rate picked up. Was something happening? Was it bad?

Spider got off the bench and pulled me to my feet. “We need to go.”

“But my prescription…”

“Will have to wait. It’s Violeta,” he said.

My breath froze in my lungs and the world spun a little. “Violeta?”

“Someone managed to get past Marcus and breached the compound. Rocket was able to keep them from capturing Violeta, but she was hurt,” Spider said. “I need to get you out of the open. Now.”

I nodded and let him lead me back to the SUV. He raced through town, nearly running a few lights, and went skidding through the gates of the compound. Gates that stood wide open with three armed men just inside. I fought to control my emotions, to lock down the panic that was rising.

One of the men approached the vehicle and Spider rolled down the window.

“They were after your wife and found Violeta instead. Roughed her up pretty good. Rocket has her locked up tight in his house, and Dread is on his way to patch her up and check her out. Make sure nothing is broken.”

“Thanks, Patch,” Spider said.

“I called in the others,” he said. “Yankee, Brazil, and Gunner are all back and they’re done with the military this time. They’re here to stay. Didn’t know where you wanted to put them so they each took a spot in the clubhouse.”

“I’ll assign them houses later. Ask Yankee and Gunner to come to my house. I want them to keep an eye on Luciana. If those fuckers broke in here once, they’ll likely try again, especially since they didn’t get what they came for.”

Patch nodded. “On it.”

Spider pulled away and drove to the house.

“More men?” I asked. “Have I not met everyone?”

“Some of the guys are active duty military, and others are ex-military and have been recruiting our troops from various branches. It’s good to have men with that kind of background, those who don’t mind getting their hands dirty. Some turn to law enforcement or other civil service jobs when they leave the military, but others need something a bit more, something maybe not quite so legal. They want to get their hands dirty and not have the government staring over their shoulders.”

“And Hades Abyss gives that to them?” she asked.

“Yes. I trust every member of this club with your life, Luciana. They’ll keep you safe if I’m unable to do so myself.”

At the house, he ushered me inside and led me straight to the kitchen. He put some water in the kettle and set it to boil. After he’d learned I liked tea, he’d made sure he stocked the kitchen with a kettle and several types of tea. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d like a kettle that steeped the tea and didn’t like using tea bags. He was trying, and it was one of the sweetest things anyone had ever done for me.

He set the mug of steaming water in front of me and pulled down my favorite tea, handing me a teabag and a spoon. There was a knock at the front door, and he paused only long enough to give me a quick kiss before going to answer it. I heard deep voices, then heavy steps. Two men I hadn’t seen before, one incredibly tall and the other of average height, entered the room.

“Luciana, this is Yankee and Gunner,” Spider said, motioning to each of them. “Guys, this is my wife, Luciana, and the intended target of the man who broke into the compound. Her sperm donor is Mateo Gomez.”

Sperm donor. I snickered a little. I liked that because the man had certainly never been fatherly, even if he’d demanded that title from us. I’d have to share that with my sisters later.

“Violeta. When can I see her?” I asked.

“Dread is checking her over right now. As soon as I have word on her status, I’ll let you know,” Spider said. “But neither of you are leaving your homes until we get this shit sorted out.”

I nodded, my stomach tightening with worry over Violeta. “Sofia? What about her? Did they attack the place where she’s living now?”

Spider stared at me a moment, then pulled out his phone.

“Torch, did your compound get hit today? Maybe someone trying to get their hands on Sofia?” he asked.

He held my gaze and shook his head. At least Sofia was safe. I didn’t know why my father would want me over my sisters, unless he’d found out about my pregnancy. The thought of him getting his hands on my babies was enough to make me bolt down the hall and throw up in the half bath. Spider knelt next to me and rubbed my back.

“Sofia is safe,” he said. “And I’m not letting Gomez get his hands on you.”

“You can’t stop him,” I said. “He has more men than you do. If he wants me, he’ll find a way to get me.”

He opened his mouth to respond when his phone rang. A strange look crossed his face as he stared at the screen, and when he answered he put the speaker on, then pressed a finger to my lips so I’d know to remain silent.

“Casper, what the fuck is going on?” he asked.

“Gomez has decided that he needs Luciana more than he needs your favor. He knows your club still has Violeta and he’s hoping that will be enough to keep you tied to him. Or the imaginary tie that’s there.”

“His man attacked Violeta and beat the hell out of her,” Spider said. “That’s not going to endear him to me.”

“He doesn’t know you have a soft spot for the girls. He thinks you’ve made them whores and you’re passing them around,” Casper said.

“Send me the number to Gomez. I think I need to have a little chat with him.”

“Spider, be careful. I have plans in motion, and I don’t need you to fuck everything up. I know that you’re protective of those who are innocent, especially women and children, but don’t let that cloud your judgment.”

“The fucker came after my wife and kids,” Spider said.

There was a beat of silence.

“Wife and kids?” Casper asked.

“Luciana is my wife, and the twins she’s carrying are mine as well.”

Casper snorted. “You can’t have kids.”

“Well, I claimed them just the same.”

“Gomez isn’t aware you married his daughter. Hell, I didn’t know about it and this is my fucking mission. Anything else I need to know?” Casper asked.

“Answer the fucking phone and you’d know more, but no. I don’t have anything else. Not yet, but give Violeta some time to grow up and I have a feeling Rocket will be claiming her. You think I’m protective? The fucker who hurt Violeta might want to run as far and fast as he can, because if Rocket gets his hands on the guy, he won’t be breathing much longer,” Spider said.

“Duly noted. I’ll send the information for Gomez, but don’t do anything stupid. No dick swinging, Spider. I mean it.”

Spider flipped the phone off, as if the man could see the gesture, then ended the call.

“Fucker,” Spider muttered.

His phone chimed a moment later and a sadistic smile slid across his face. A shiver raced down my spine. Not because I feared for myself, but that look didn’t bode well for my father. I knew that Spider would end him if he could, and it wouldn’t be pleasant.

Chapter Nine

Spider

Mateo Gomez had made a fatal mistake. No one came after my family, and the fucker was about to learn that the hard way. I helped Luciana off the floor, gave her a cup of water to rinse her mouth, then we went back to the kitchen. I wanted Yankee and Gunner to hear this call, and if Luciana needed to stay, then I was fine with that too. She would see a darker side of me, but I was pretty certain she knew I’d never hurt her, never turn that darkness on her or the babies. They were mine, and I would protect them at all costs. Just because I hadn’t wanted a wife and kids didn’t mean I would leave them defenseless, especially since I’d gone and fallen for the adorable woman who fascinated me more and more every day.

“It seems that Mateo Gomez isn’t aware that Luciana is my wife now,” I said. “I think it’s time he learns what happens to those who fuck with my family. I’m going to put the call on speaker. Luciana, if you stay, I want you to remain quiet. Can you do that for me, baby girl?”

She nodded.

“What about us?” Yankee asked.

“The two of you can threaten the man all you want,” Spider said. “He needs to know he didn’t just piss me off, but the entire club. And the stunt with Violeta can’t go unpunished. I want the man responsible, but no one is to harm him yet. Rocket will want that privilege.”

Luciana reached out and took my hand. I knelt next to her chair and smoothed her hair back from her face. She was scared, fear lurking in her eyes, and her lower lip trembled. I wasn’t sure if she was worried about her sister, herself, the babies, or if she was concerned something would happen to me. The way she’d looked the day I’d been shot would haunt me for a while. Possibly forever. I never wanted to see that look on her face ever again.

“Everything will be fine,” I assured her. “He’s not going to hurt me or your sisters. None of us will let that happen. And you’re safe, Luciana. I’ll put every bullet at this compound into him and anyone else who tries to take you. Understood?”

She nodded and her hand tightened on mine. I brushed a kiss against her cheek, then stood and dialed Mateo Gomez.

The man answered after a few rings.

“Who is this?” he demanded in a thick accent.

“It’s Spider, the President of Hades Abyss.”

“Ah, yes. Mr. Spider, what may I do for you today?”

“You can start by explaining why one of your men forced their way into my compound, beat the hell out of Violeta, and was apparently trying to take Luciana.”

There was a moment of silence.

“I did not authorize anyone to beat Violeta,” he said. “I understand she is valuable to you and your men. As for Luciana, I need her to return home.”

“No,” Spider said. “You gave her to me, and I plan to keep her.”

“I can provide another girl for you, Mr. Spider. I have many beautiful girls, much better behaved than my Luciana,” Gomez said.

I ground my teeth together and tried not to reach through the phone to choke the fucker. His Luciana? Not fucking likely.

“I don’t think you understand. Luciana isn’t leaving this compound unless she’s with me or a member of this club,” I said. “She’s my property now.”

I glanced at Luciana, not sure how she’d handled me phrasing it quite like that, but she was staring at the phone with stark terror on her face. Yeah, no way this dipshit was getting his hands on my wife.

“Why do you need Luciana all of a sudden?” I asked.

“There is a man who wishes to keep Luciana for himself. They spent some time together previously and he’s rather enamored of her. She will live in luxury with Pedro Lopez.”

Luciana let out a whimper and I quickly gathered her in my arms to keep her quiet. She trembled and clutched at me, her terror a tangible thing. Whoever Pedro Lopez was, I knew he damn sure wasn’t going to touch her. I’d cut off his hands and shove them up his ass if I had the chance.

“Spent time together?” I asked. “Were they dating?”

Luciana pressed even tighter to me. I threaded a hand in her hair and held her close. I hated that this call was making those memories come to the surface, and I was wishing I’d asked her to leave the room. I’d thought she had the right to hear what was said, but it hadn’t occurred to me that it would frighten her so badly. Sometimes I was an idiot, at least when it came to women.

Gomez didn’t answer right away. “I believe they had a sexual relationship.”

Yeah, I’d just bet they did. The kind where Luciana was forced to endure whatever the asshole decided to do to her. No fucking way would she leave my sight. I looked at Gunner and Yankee, and could see both were in agreement. I didn’t know if they’d been brought up to speed on absolutely everything, but they didn’t look the least bit pleased by Gomez’s statement.

“I’m afraid Mr. Lopez will have to find another woman,” I said.

“I wasn’t asking, Mr. Spider. I need Luciana back in Colombia immediately. A jet is already waiting for her at a nearby airstrip.”

“I don’t think I made this clear enough for you, Gomez. Luciana isn’t just my property, she’s my wife now. You so much as lay a finger on her, even breathe wrong in her direction, and I will fucking end you and anyone else you send after her. Do we have an understanding?” I was ready to rip the fucker’s throat out.

“Wife?” the man asked, his tone biting.

I didn’t give a shit if he liked it or not. Luciana was mine, legally thanks to Surge, and I wasn’t letting her go. Even if she hadn’t been my wife, there was no way I’d send her back to that hell. Violeta wasn’t going anywhere either. It didn’t matter to me that she was underage. We’d find a way to keep her here, no matter what it took.

“I didn’t give permission for Luciana to marry anyone,” Gomez said.

“She’s a grown-ass woman and doesn’t need to ask you or anyone else if she can marry someone,” I said. “So if you take her -- my legally wedded wife -- then that’s kidnapping. The police in Colombia might look the other way when you sell women or force them into prostitution, but the local boys won’t be too happy about it, and neither will the Feds.”

“You’re threatening me,” Gomez said, sounding somewhat amused. “You, a nobody in some insignificant place in America, are threatening the great Mateo Gomez?”

“Spider isn’t a nobody,” Yankee said. “Probably should have done your homework before threatening the man’s wife.”

“And who are you?” Gomez asked.

“Yankee. I’m a part of this club, and I can assure you that if Spider comes after you, he won’t be alone. You think we’re small and easily squashed, but you’d be wrong.”

“If I can’t have Luciana, then I’ll just have to take one of my other daughters and hope Pedro Lopez will be content with Violeta or Sofia. You choose, Mr. Spider. My sweet little Violeta or Sofia? Which will warm Pedro’s bed?”

“You sick fucking bastard,” I said. “You won’t touch either of them.”

“We’ll see,” Gomez said.

The line went dead and I stared at Yankee and Gunner. They both looked as pissed and worried as I felt. Luciana started sobbing and I cursed the man who had ruined our day. I tipped my head toward the door and Yankee and Gunner both made themselves scarce. The doctor’s words from earlier had me concerned over Luciana and the babies. She wasn’t supposed to be getting upset. She needed rest and good meals.

“Baby girl, I need you to take a breath for me,” I said. She did, though it was broken with more crying. “Again. And again.”

After a few minutes, the tears slowed and she seemed to have her emotions under control. I ran my hand up and down her back, but I felt her grip on me loosen a little. She tipped her head back and looked up me with swollen eyes and a runny nose. And I still found her fucking beautiful.

“Everything will be fine, Luciana. I meant what I said. You’re mine, and I’m not letting you go. Rocket will keep Violeta safe, and I’m sure Saint is protecting Sofia.”

“I can’t let him take them,” she said, her voice a near whisper. “If he has to have someone, it should be me. I’ve endured Pedro before. I can do it again.”

“No. You’re not giving up, and you’re sure as fuck not turning yourself over to that asshole.”

“Not to interrupt,” Gunner said from the doorway, “but what if they just think she’s surrendering herself?”

“What the fuck does that mean?” I asked. “Because I’m not handing her over to them.”

“I meant we could make arrangements to give your wife to Gomez, except we don’t actually let him have her. We just need to his ass on US soil, and then we can take him out. Get Surge, Wire, and any of their other hacking buddies to look into Gomez and the disappearance of any underage girls he might have snatched from the US. As much as I know you want to get your hands dirty, I say we gather enough evidence and let the Feds handle this shit,” Gunner said.

“Would that work?” Luciana asked.

“I recorded your call,” Gunner said, lifting up his phone. “The audio isn’t the greatest, but you can hear Gomez clear as day demand you hand over your wife, Sofia, or their underage sister so he can give her to a man. It’s implied well enough that he plans to use them for sex. Since Luciana, Sofia, and Violeta are all US citizens thanks to Surge, that should make the Feds sit up and take notice.”

“Or I could get the fucker here and bleed him out,” I said.

“What happens if your Feds get their hands on my father?” Luciana asked.

Gunner hesitated, but I already knew the answer. I knew he wanted to keep things legal and not bring heat down on the club, but this wasn’t the time to toe the line.

“He’d likely be deported and banned from returning to the US. They would probably contact law enforcement in Colombia, but we all know your father has them in his pocket. And since he isn’t coming here legally anyway, nothing would stop him from returning, or sending someone after you,” I said, which is why I didn’t want the damn Feds involved. I wanted Gomez in the damn ground.

She sagged in my arms.

“I’m going to handle it, Luciana. I’ll get him here, but I’m not involving the Feds or anyone else. This is club business pure and simple. If taking your father out of the equation helps other people too, then all the better, but that’s not my main focus,” I said.

“Whatever you need to do, you have my support,” she said. “My father is evil. If you need to kill him, I won’t think less of you. Just know that another will rise in his place. It’s never-ending, Spider. If any of his men who hurt me and my sisters claim his position, they could come for us too. You can’t fight the entire Colombian cartel.”

“What if we go over their heads?” Gunner asked. “If our Feds can’t handle the situation, maybe the government officials in Colombia will be willing to step in. You have a president there, right?”

Luciana nodded.

“Get Surge to put together whatever he can find on Gomez, as well as his top men. We’ll make contact with the Colombian president, explain the situation, and see if he’s willing to help when we share those files. As long as it doesn’t look like he’s in bed with Gomez. If that’s the case, this whole thing would fall apart pretty fast,” I said.

“I’ll call Surge now,” Gunner said, stepping out of the room.

“One way or another, I’m ending this, Luciana. I won’t have you living in fear,” I said.

She looked up at me, and the tenderness in her gaze nearly took me to my knees. “I love you. I know it’s too soon, or maybe it would always be too soon. You didn’t want a wife or children, but I’m so glad you’re my husband. I love you, Spider, and I needed you to know that.”

I cupped her cheek. “I love you too, baby girl. Never thought I’d let a woman in enough to say those words to her, but you came into my life and tore down the walls I’d erected, one brick at a time. Casper did me a huge fucking favor when he arranged for you to stay with me. But that’s between you and me. That bastard is cocky enough already.”

She smiled and hugged me tight. My heart ached at the thought of losing her. I didn’t care what it took, I’d make sure the threat to Luciana was eliminated. Blood on my hands didn’t bother me in the least. Never had, never would. Especially not if I was taking out the trash.

“Let’s get you cleaned up and fed, and then you should take a nap,” I told her, leading her from the kitchen.

“Cleaned up?” she asked.

“A hot shower will make you feel better. You’re tense and stressed. It’s not good for you or the babies.”

“Only if you join me,” she said. She bit her lip. “If it won’t hurt your shoulder or your back. I don’t want to slow down your healing.”

I grinned. That had been my plan exactly. In the bedroom, I shut and locked the door, not wanting any interruptions. While I got the shower set to the right temperature, Luciana started undressing. I waited until she’d stepped under the spray before I removed my own clothes and got in after her. I took my time soaping her hair and body, even put in that conditioner she insisted on having. Her hands coasted over my body as she rubbed soap into my skin. My cock was already hard and aching before she even reached that low.

Her fingers wrapped around my shaft and she gave it a few strokes. Enough to make me crave more, but she just smiled and moved her hand elsewhere. Tease. I rinsed us both thoroughly, not wanting soap anywhere uncomfortable, then pressed her against the tiled wall.

“Been too long,” I said. “You ready for me?”

She reached out and took my hand, sliding it between her legs. Her pussy was swollen and slick. I slid a finger inside her, pumping it in and out. Yeah, my baby was more than ready for me, but the look of bliss on her face made me want to draw things out a little more. I pressed my thumb to her clit and rubbed as I finger-fucked her pussy, adding a second digit to her tight channel.

“God, Spider. That feels so good.”

“You feel good,” I told her. My cock jerked and pre-cum leaked in a steady stream from the head. I didn’t know how long I’d last once I got inside her. It had been too long, and I wanted her too badly.

I tweaked her nipple with my other hand, pinching and twisting the hardened peak until she moaned and spread her legs a little more. I tugged on the tip again before reaching for the other side, giving it the same treatment. I could tell she was close. Leaning down, I kissed her, devouring her lips as I pushed her closer to a climax. I drove my fingers into her hard and fast. Luciana’s body went tight and I felt her release coat my fingers.

I groaned as I pulled away, loving the way her cheeks flushed and the heavy-lidded look she gave me. She reached up and ran her fingers through my beard, then tugged me down for another kiss. If Luciana was a drug, then I was definitely an addict. I didn’t think I’d ever get enough of her. I hoped like hell I never stopped being able to meet her needs. Hell, I’d pop blue pills if I needed to, but so far that wasn’t even remotely an issue. The woman kept me so fired-up that I felt twenty years younger.

I lifted her, urging her legs around my waist, then thrust hard and deep, not stopping until she’d taken every inch. The way she wrapped around my cock, the feel of her slick, tight pussy, was enough to make my heart race. I drove into her as our tongues tangled and she held onto me. There was still a slight twinge where the bullet had entered my back, but it wouldn’t stop me. Nothing was going to hold me back right now.

“Yes! Yes! Don’t stop,” Luciana begged. “So close.”

I felt my balls draw up and a tingle started in my back. She wasn’t the only one about to go off. I ground against her with each thrust until she was screaming my name and coating my cock with her release, and then I let go. I slammed into her again and again until I filled her pussy with my cum. Even after the last drop had been wrung for me, I didn’t want to stop. I kept thrusting until I felt her shudder and come one more time.

“So fucking beautiful,” I said. “I love watching you come.”

She gave me a shy smile and her cheeks turned a darker pink. Her throat and the upper swells of her breasts were flushed as well from coming several times, and she looked downright delectable.

“You didn’t hurt yourself?” she asked.

“All healed. Dread said I could resume normal activities today. There’s only a slight pull in my back now and then. Nothing to worry about.”

“If you go after my father, you have to promise you’ll stay alive. I can’t lose you,” she said. “Not just because I feel safe here, or because I’m scared to raise these babies on my own. I need you. I…”

I placed a finger over her lips. “I know. I need you too, Luciana.”

I pulled out and helped her clean up, then I shut off the water and wrapped her in a thick towel. Quickly drying myself, I took a moment to study her. My wife. My everything. There was still a glow to her, and she appeared a little less stressed. She couldn’t hide the worry in her eyes, but as she placed a hand against her belly, I realized she was concerned for the babies. I didn’t know how to reassure her that they would be all right. If anything happened and she lost them she’d be inconsolable, but I’d find a way to help her through it. It would gut me as well, but there were always other options if she really wanted kids.

I took her hand and led her into the bedroom, then pulled down the covers.

“Lie down, sweetheart. You rest while I make sure I have all the things on your list of encouraged foods and pick up your prescription. Yankee and Gunner will remain here if you need anything. I need to feed you so you can take one of your prenatal vitamins.”

I pulled one of my shirts out of the dresser and helped her into it, then handed her a pair of panties from her drawer. Her head had barely touched the pillow before she was out, her breathing deep and even. Her emotions had run so high, and then I’d physically exhausted her in the shower, that she just couldn’t last another moment without some rest.

I leaned down and brushed a kiss against her forehead before getting dressed and leaving instructions with Yankee and Gunner. Teller was on the front steps when I left the house and he gave me a nod.

“I’ll help keep her safe,” he said.

“Thank you, Teller.” I clapped him on the back and removed the keys to the SUV from my pocket. No way was I going grocery shopping on my bike, not with the amount of food and drinks I needed to get. I not only had Luciana’s list to tend to, but I also needed to ensure I had sodas, coffee, and food enough for anyone who helped keep an eye on her. There was also an errand I wanted to personally handle, but I was keeping that shit to myself. Luciana had enjoyed the little pink vibrator so much, I wanted to stop by the adult store and pick up another toy or two, and I sure as shit wasn’t delegating that to anyone. I’d lucked out with getting a decent one off the Internet before, but I wanted to browse the shop in person this time. Find just the right items without staring at my damn phone.

I’d never done the domestic thing, not even with Ryker’s mom, but I had to admit that it felt kind of nice. I liked having Luciana waiting for me, enjoyed waking with her in my arms, but mostly I liked how she’d made my house feel more like a home. She hadn’t made any changes to the place, except for her presence, and that was enough. The warmth of her smile could light up any room, and it had quickly thawed my heart.

I only hoped I didn’t fail her now.

Chapter Ten

Luciana

I didn’t like Spider’s plan, not even a little. He didn’t know my father the way I did, didn’t understand exactly what the man was capable of, and I worried it would get us all killed. We were at the airstrip, meeting my father and Pedro Lopez. I had no doubt that he’d bring others, men he trusted, those who had hurt me. It wasn’t just a show of power for Spider’s benefit, but to remind me of my place and what would happen if I disobeyed. I’d tried to reason with my husband, had spent the last four days begging him not to do this. I understood that he felt it was the only solution, but I worried that he’d pay a steep price if he followed through. Too many things could go wrong.

I tried to swallow my fear, but my stomach was going to revolt at any moment. I’d already thrown up several times this morning, and I didn’t think it was due to my pregnancy. I’d ridden in the SUV with Teller, while Spider and half the club had arrived on their bikes. A rumble in the distance had me looking out the back window and my jaw dropped a little as about twenty other bikers pulled up, none of them wearing the same cut as Spider and the men from Hades Abyss.

“Who are they?” I asked Teller.

He smirked a little. “Didn’t think your man would come unprepared, did you? He called in reinforcements. The presidents from four other clubs are here, along with their VPs and a handful of men. He knew your dad wouldn’t play by the rules, so Spider didn’t either.”

“They all came to help?”

Teller nodded. “Torch is the President of the Dixie Reapers, which is where Sofia is living. He’s just as vested in having your dad disappear as Spider is. Not to mention Ryker lives with the Dixie Reapers since his wife is the sister of their Treasurer.”

“And the others?” I asked.

“Devil’s Boneyard has family ties to the Dixie Reapers, and Devil’s Fury has ties to Devil’s Boneyard. They’re all one big happy family. Reckless Kings have put their necks on the line a few times to help other clubs over the past year or two.”

“Five clubs,” I mumbled. I hadn’t realized that Spider was friendly with so many people. Weren’t they all supposed to be rivals or something? I still didn’t quite understand how all this worked, but I hoped I’d learn one day.

“Doesn’t matter how many guys your dad brought with him. We have more.”

I nodded and watched as the steps to my father’s jet lowered. He came down them, holding his head at a regal angle while buttoning his suit jacket. Heaven forbid he ever wear anything other than his expensive custom-made suits and shirts. Even his shoes were custom.

Behind him, Pedro descended the stairs, and then three other men from my worst nightmares. It was the man who came after them all that almost made me pass out. My father’s right-hand man, and my number one tormentor.

“He brought Ricardo,” I said.

“The last guy?” Teller asked.

I nodded. “This isn’t good.”

Teller pulled out a file folder I hadn’t even noticed and flipped through it. “Ricardo Sanchez. Right-hand man to Mateo Gomez, and not afraid to get his hands dirty.”

“What’s that mean?” I asked.

Teller grinned. “It means we know everything about Mr. Sanchez, as well as your dad and every man he brought with him. None of them are leaving the country -- well, not all of them, anyway. A few pieces will be sent back as a warning to anyone else in your father’s cartel. No one will fuck with you after this.”

“How?” My brow furrowed as I stared at the folder. “Surge?”

He nodded. “Yep, Surge. Wire, Shade, Outlaw, and Shield.”

“Who are the others you mentioned?” I asked.

“Hackers with the other clubs. Wire is with Dixie Reapers, Shade is part of Devil’s Boneyard, Outlaw is with Devil’s Fury, and Shield is a Reckless King.” Teller reached over and patted my hand. “Don’t worry, Luciana. They know what they’re doing.”

Spider walked forward to meet with my father, reaching out to shake his hand. I noticed several other men standing alongside of him, each with a cut from one of the clubs Teller had just mentioned. Were those the other presidents? If they were, I didn’t understand what it meant for all of them to be here. Another figure approached and I stifled my gasp when I recognized Casper VanHorne, the man I’d thought was working with my dad until Spider had told me otherwise.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, but I watched in horror as Pedro pulled a gun and fired it at one of the presidents. After that, everyone was shooting at someone. With more bikers than Colombians, it didn’t take long for Spider and the others to get the upper hand. Or so I’d thought. Ricardo smiled, blood smeared across his teeth, and said something to the men. A man from Devil’s Boneyard and Devil’s Fury both froze and shared a look.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“No clue, and I’m not leaving you here alone in order to go find out.”

“I wasn’t even needed. I haven’t left the car.”

Teller smiled. “Your father’s men looked this way a few times so they knew you were present. Probably thought you’d walk out to them all docile and shit. I don’t think any of them planned to get shot today.”

“Roll down the window or something. I want to know what’s going on.”

Teller gave me a pointed look then cracked the window a tiny bit, but it was enough to hear since we were so close.

“You had someone take my wife?” the Devil’s Boneyard man asked before bursting out into laughter.

“You’re so fucked,” said the guy from Devil’s Fury.

“What’s going on?” I asked Teller.

He snickered. “Your father’s men took Jordan. She’s the wife of the Sergeant at Arms for Devil’s Boneyard, and she’s batshit fucking crazy. Marched her pregnant ass to Colombia to save her man from what I hear. I think they bit off more than they can chew this time.”

“We’ll get Jordan back, and if she leaves any of your men alive, we’ll take care of them,” said an older man from Devil’s Boneyard.

“That’s Cinder.” Teller pointed to the man. “He’s their President.”

“Wait. Something isn’t right.” I squinted to try and see on the other side of my father’s jet. I sucked in a breath and my eyes widened in horror when I realized what was about to happen. “We’re all going to die.”

Teller jerked his head my way. “What?”

I pointed, my hand trembling.

A dark figure moved closer to the group, something propped on his shoulder.

“Holy shit! Is that a grenade launcher?” Teller scrambled for the handle on the SUV door, throwing it open. “Everyone run!”

Spider spun our way, saw my frantic look, and rotated back toward the Colombians. He must have seen the man approaching because he turned and started running toward me. Teller slammed his door shut and threw the SUV into gear. I screamed for him to wait as Spider drew closer. My husband was mere feet away when Teller had the tires squealing on the SUV and rocketed through the parking lot, away from the man I loved and everyone who had tried to save me.

I sobbed and fought the seatbelt in an effort to turn and see what was happening. An explosion made my ears ring, but Teller just seemed to go faster. He left the airstrip but I couldn’t see through the tears to be able to tell where we were going. I just knew we were leaving Spider, and I had no idea if he was alive or not.

Another explosion sounded and I cried harder. Teller whipped the SUV out into traffic and floored it. In a matter of minutes, we were on the interstate and seemed to be heading south. Teller grabbed his phone and quickly dialed someone.

“Rocket, get Violeta the hell out of there. I’m taking Luciana to the Dixie Reapers.” He paused. “I don’t know. They could all be dead right now.”

I moaned and frantically motioned for Teller to pull over. The SUV came to a jerking halt on the shoulder of the road, just in time for me to open the door and throw up. I heaved until nothing was left in my stomach, then shut the door. Teller grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze before he started driving again.

“I’m sorry, Luciana. I have to believe that Spider made it out of there, but I knew he’d prefer that I get you to safety. That was my number one mission. Protect you at all costs.”

“What’s the point of living if he’s gone?” I asked.

“Don’t think like that. I’m going to call ahead and let the Reapers know what’s going on, make sure they have a place for you to stay, and then maybe we can find out what’s happening. See if there are survivors.”

“Why would he do that?” I asked, thinking of the man I’d seen. “If he was with my father, didn’t he risk killing him as well? And all my father’s men?”

“Maybe your father thought it was worth the risk. Or maybe the guy wasn’t with your dad at all and we’re dealing with a completely unknown person. Just try to rest, Luciana. I’m going to get you somewhere safe, then we’ll deal with what’s happened.”

I nodded and shut my eyes, but all I could see was Spider reaching for the SUV before Teller had taken off, leaving him behind.

I didn’t know how long we were on the road, but we eventually pulled into a compound that looked different from the Hades Abyss’ and yet a little similar. The guy at the gate had waved us through, and I wondered if their security wasn’t that stringent or if they had recognized Teller or the vehicle. The club seemed to have a clubhouse and homes, but I also saw what looked like a playground, a pool, and other family friendly things as we drove down a winding road. Teller came to a stop in front of a cute home, and the door swung open to reveal a blond man with a stern expression on his face. There was an adorable little girl wrapped around his leg.

“Who’s that?” I asked.

“Saint. Your sister has been living with him. And that’s his daughter Delia.”

I got out of the car and stretched before slowly approaching the house. The guy didn’t so much as smile, but his daughter was adorable as she grinned at me.

“I’m Luciana Storme,” I said.

Saint nodded. “Your sister is inside. You’ll stay here while someone prepares a place for you. Shouldn’t take long.”

“Thank you.”

He stepped aside, not seeming to even notice his daughter clung to his calf like a monkey. I moved past him into the house and saw Sofia. She looked good, if a bit scared. When her gaze locked on mine, she rushed toward me, wrapping her arms around my waist.

“They won’t stop,” she said. “We’ll never be safe.”

“We’re not going back, Sofia. Never.”

She nodded but didn’t seem to believe me. I wasn’t entirely sure I believed myself either. I sat with her on the couch and tried to listen to Teller and Saint, but they were speaking too softly. I needed to know if Spider was all right. My stomach clenched at the thought of never seeing him again.

“I miss you and Violeta,” Sofia said.

“We miss you too. They’re treating you well here, aren’t they?” I asked. Just because Spider had said Saint was a decent guy, didn’t mean it was true. Even if the guy did have a cute kid, I knew from experience monsters came in all shapes and sizes.

Sofia cast a glance toward Saint and her cheeks flushed a little. “I’m good. I don’t think he likes me, though.”

“And the little girl?” I asked, knowing how much my sister adored kids.

“She’s great. Delia is so much fun, and so sweet. We get along fine. She’s four, but she’s so smart. I think she’s ahead of the other kids her age.”

Hmm. That sounded like a little too much pride for a kid that wasn’t hers. I looked at Saint and his daughter again, and I noticed the girl was staring at Sofia with a worshipful gaze. Seemed my sister wasn’t the only one invested in the relationship between them. Too bad the little girl’s daddy seemed like an ass. Would it kill him to smile?

Teller came over, his hands shoved in his pockets. “So, I’m going to stay with you at another house. Rocket will be staying there too with Violeta. Saint said Sofia was welcome to go with us.”

Sofia looked heartbroken as she glanced toward Saint again. I could tell my sister felt something for the biker, but I didn’t understand why. He didn’t seem all that great to me, but then I’d only been in his house less than a half hour. Maybe he had hidden depths. Like way down deep type of hidden.

“Delia doesn’t want her to go,” Teller said.

Sofia’s eyes lit up. “She wants me here?”

He nodded. “I told Saint it would be best for you to stay since you’re already set up here. I mean, this isn’t my club and even if it were, he outranks me, so… If he says you have to go, then you’ll have to go.”

Sofia sighed and slowly stood. She walked over to Delia, who still clung to her daddy’s leg, and knelt down.

“Delia, my sister is here and my other sister is coming too. I think it’s best if I go with them for now, but I’ll still be close by.”

“She doesn’t need you,” Saint said.

I shot to my feet, but Teller stilled me with a hand on my arm. I didn’t like it, but he was right. While I wanted to defend my sister, this wasn’t our home. If I didn’t tread carefully, they could ask us to leave. All of us, and then we’d be out in the open.

When Sofia faced us again, I could see the tears in her eyes, and I decided I didn’t like Saint very much. Anyone who made Sofia cry couldn’t be all that wonderful. I wrapped my arms around my sister when she was within reach and glared at the man across the room. He tipped his chin up and stared me down, but I wasn’t going to flinch. In the past I would have, but I was Spider’s wife now.

I glanced at Saint’s cut and noticed it didn’t have a title, which meant he was a member but not an officer. I didn’t think I outranked him since I was just a woman, but I knew my husband did. That had to count for something, didn’t it? I looked at Teller but he gave a shake of his head and I tried to shove down my annoyance.

“Come on, Sofia. We’ll find somewhere else to go until the house is ready for us. And Saint can have your belongings packed.” I glared at the man and saw a slight smirk on his lips. “You’ve been through enough without remaining in a hostile home environment.”

That smirk slipped right off his face and he actually looked ashamed for a moment. He glanced down at his daughter and his gaze hardened again. And that is what made me understand a little better exactly what was happening. It wasn’t that he didn’t like my sister, it was that he was worried about his daughter. The fact he was so protective of her made me soften toward him.

“Spider chose well,” Saint said. “I’m sure you’re the perfect wife for the President of Hades Abyss. Ryker didn’t have too many nice things to say about you, but don’t worry. He’ll come around.”

I glanced from him to Sofia and back again. “The question is whether or not you’ll come around. Don’t let fear hold you back.”

He smiled faintly and lifted his daughter into his arms. “If things were different… but they aren’t. I’m not a bad guy, Luciana. But I will die before I let any darkness touch my daughter, and you and your sisters have trouble written all over you. It follows you, stalks you from the shadows, and I don’t think it’s backing down.”

He was right about that. I led Sofia outside and we got into the SUV. As Teller pulled back around to the front gate, I saw another car enter and smiled when I saw Rocket and Violeta in the front seats. Violeta was still bruised but didn’t seem to be in a great deal of pain. Her lip was split and she had a blackened eye. If she had more serious injuries, I couldn’t tell from here.

I pointed our sister out to Sofia and she gave me a true smile for the first time since I’d seen her today. I didn’t know what the future would bring, but I knew that as long as we had each other, and I had the sweet babies growing inside me, then we would be okay. If Spider was gone, my sisters would help me deal with the pain, and my children would give me incentive to keep going, but I still held out hope that he was fine.

“Come back to me,” I murmured and toyed with the band on my finger. I’d finally told him I loved him, and now he was gone. My heart felt like it might break, but I was going to assume that no news was good news. As far as I knew, no one had called Teller to say all the men were dead. I would hold onto to any small amount of hope I could grasp.

“Spider’s tough,” Teller said, catching my gaze and holding it. “Nothing will stop him from coming for you. Not even hell. He loves you, Luciana, more than I think he’s ever loved anyone. That’s far more powerful than anything on this earth.”

“Even a grenade launcher?” I asked.

“He’s going to be fine, and he’s going to ride through those gates. You’ll be together again.”

I nodded, knowing he was trying to comfort me, but maybe he really believed what he was saying. He knew Spider well, and if he thought my husband was all right, then I’d have to believe that too. I might be able to go on without him, raise the babies on my own, but I didn’t want to. Life held no meaning without him by my side.

We got out of the SUV in front of a pretty blue house and Violeta ran to us, hugging both me and Sofia. Rocket watched us in amusement, a smile gracing his lips. He looked worried, shadows under his eyes and a tenseness to his body that normally wasn’t there, but he’d kept my sister safe and I could never thank him enough.

“All right, ladies. Go find your rooms,” Rocket said. “The Dixie Reaper women are gathering some things you might need. Except you, Sofia, since your things are already here.”

“Thank you,” I said, holding Violeta a little tighter.

“She’s not getting taken on my watch,” Rocket said.

The way he looked at Violeta I knew that he meant it. She might be young, but there was a possessiveness to his gaze. Spider was right. When Violeta was old enough, Rocket would likely make his move and claim her. I was glad she had someone like him. The little interaction I’d had with him, he’d always seemed like a good guy. Laid-back, funny, and protective. Just the type of man Violeta needed in her life.

Now I just needed my protective husband back at my side.

I went in search of a room to temporarily call mine, when a cramp made me bend in half. A sharper pain came, then another. I screamed as I felt a rush of warm liquid between my legs. Something was wrong with the babies! It was too soon, and the doctor had been concerned about their development. I couldn’t lose them! “Teller!” I yelled.

He raced to my side and I tried to remain calm. I heard something about an ambulance and miscarriage, but I was focused on praying for my babies, and for Spider. Was I going to lose my entire new family all in one day? I didn’t think I could handle much more. I was emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausted. If I lost my children and my husband, I wouldn’t have a reason to keep going. My sisters would be taken care of, and I had no one else.

Please. Please don’t take them.

Chapter Eleven

Spider

The blast from the grenade launcher had knocked me on my ass. My ears were ringing and the world was spinning. I saw the SUV with my wife go tearing out of the airstrip, and as much as I wished I could be with her, I knew Teller would keep Luciana safe. I got up and brushed myself off, looking around to assess the damage. Most of the bikes were trashed, and at least half the men who’d stood at my back were down.

I picked my way through the bodies, most of the men still alive, and stopped when I stood over Mateo Gomez. His sightless eyes stared up at me. The lower half of his body was gone, and his men hadn’t fared very well either. Each were missing limbs, and Pedro had lost his head. I couldn’t say I was sorry, but I wished I’d been the one to hand their asses to them.

I felt my phone vibrating and pulled it out, but I still couldn’t hear for shit and knew answering would be pointless. I sent Surge a text to tell him I was fine but couldn’t hear. I got a response almost immediately.

The Colombian President said he was sending someone to take care of his little problem.

Well, that explained the man in black who had taken out Gomez and all his men. I looked around and noticed most of the clubs who had my back were up and moving, or trying to at any rate. Only two didn’t seem to be getting up.

We may have casualties on our side. Going to assess the situation.

I shoved the phone back in my pocket and went from man to man, ensuring everyone was all right. A few were bleeding, but thankfully most just seemed stunned. The two men who weren’t getting up belonged to Devil’s Fury. I made my way over and knelt next to Grizzly, their President.

One of the bodies jerked and the man started coughing. Badger. No wonder Grizzly looked so damn sick. The guy was married to the President’s daughter. He sat up and winced, but didn’t seem too worse for wear all things considered. The other man hadn’t moved yet, but I saw his chest slowly rise and fall, so at least he was alive. I scanned his cut for a name. Wolf. I looked at Grizzly and he motioned for me to move on. I went club by club, making sure everyone was still breathing. My hearing still hadn’t returned when more of my club showed up, along with Dread. He started patching everyone, but I needed answers.

Looking around, I spotted the man in black. He was leaning against the stairs of Gomez’s jet, his arms folded as he surveyed us. He didn’t seem to be in a hurry to rush off, which wasn’t necessarily a good thing. I made my way over to him, not stopping until we were inches apart. His gaze dropped to my cut and then he pulled an envelope from inside his jacket and handed it to me.

Curious, I opened it and then snorted at the words on the paper.

Spider,

I owe you a debt. Mateo Gomez has been a thorn in my side for too long. You provided me the perfect opportunity to rid Colombia of him. Others will be easier to take down now that Gomez has fallen. Congratulations on your marriage to Luciana Gomez. Her mother was a beautiful and kind woman. Your wife is a great deal like her, and I hope you will have many happy years together.

If I may be of service, do not hesitate to reach out to my office.

President Eduardo Muñoz

I gave the man in black a nod and walked off. Finding my bike was easy enough, or finding most of it. The blast had wrecked it. I wasn’t about to sit around and wait for these fuckers to get on their feet. I needed to find my wife and let her know that she would never be bothered again by her father or his men.

My hearing started to come back, though there was still a slight ringing in my ears. At least I hadn’t gone completely deaf from the blast. Could have been worse.

“Spider,” the man called out.

I turned and he tossed a set of keys to me, then nodded toward the other end of the airstrip. I looked at the keys, then in the direction he’d indicated.

“The President thought things might get messy. Even though Gomez was his main concern, we knew there was a chance that in taking out all of them at once there might be casualties with your men as well. He apologizes and wants to make sure you are compensated. I was ordered to ensure the latest Road King Special, with some extras, was gifted to you to show the President’s appreciation for your assistance with this matter. Think of it as a bonus. The President will also be transferring some funds for a job well done.”

“Bonus, my ass. You killed my motorcycle.”

The man shrugged. “I’ll make sure it’s repaired and returned to your compound.”

“Thanks. What do I call you?” I asked.

“Specter.”

Holy fucking shit.

The man smirked, knowing I’d recognized his name. Specter was legendary. Ex-military turned mercenary, but the man had made a name for himself from the very first mission he’d been assigned, and his reputation had only grown over the years. He walked off, and I headed in the direction of the new bike, intent on getting to my woman as quickly as possible. I grabbed my phone from my pocket and pressed the speed dial for Teller, only for my damn phone to go black. I cursed my rotten luck and shoved it back into my pocket. I swung my leg over the seat of my new ride and started the engine. The bike roared to life and I couldn’t help but smile.

Fox gave me a wave and I left everything in his capable hands. Once I hit the open road, I opened up the new bike to see what she could handle.

As much as I wanted to go straight to my wife, I needed to check in with everyone at the compound first. Since my phone was out of commission, I’d need to go in person to send more help Fox’s way. Marcus was working the gate, and he looked relieved when I rolled through.

“I need you to stay on the gate, Marcus. I’m going to send some men to help Fox and then I need to go after my wife.”

“Pres, there’s a bit of a problem,” he said.

“Problem?”

He nodded then pointed out two men in suits. Fuck my life. They had government written all over them. With a sigh, I drove the bike over to the clubhouse and parked in front of the agents. What kind of agents they were was still to be determined.

“What can I do for you, gentlemen?”

“We need to talk about some drugs that made their way into the local high school,” the taller one said. “Tracked down the dealer and he said the shit came from Hades Abyss.”

“No fucking way.”

“Is there somewhere we could have this discussion?” the shorter one asked.

“Soon as you tell me who the fuck you are.”

“Agent Parkes,” said the tall one, “and this is my partner, Agent Phelps. D.E.A.”

Fuck. My. Life.

It took me four fucking days to sort out the shit with the D.E.A. and help them find the real culprit behind the drugs at the school. Some days my connections were a pain in my ass. If I had been your average biker President, they wouldn’t have dirtied their hands by asking for my help. The second they left the compound, I got on my new ride and hit the road. The tires ate up the miles as I headed south toward Alabama.

Night had fallen before I reached the Dixie Reapers’ compound, and I had started feeling a few aches along the way. The blast had bruised me and I had a few scrapes, but nothing that would keep me from getting to my wife. I hadn’t been able to reach Teller, or anyone at the Reapers’ compound except for a brief conversation with Torch over a landline in my office, and I was getting worried. It was probably my fucking cell phone, and I’d need a new one, but right now I just wanted to get to Luciana as fast as possible. As I pulled up to the gates, a Prospect I hadn’t seen before stopped me.

He eyed my cut and gave me a smile. “Someone will be really damn happy to see you.”

I raised my eyebrows.

“Your wife has been rather worried, fearing the worst. Go right once you’re in the gate and follow the road. She’s staying in a blue house with a red door. Can’t miss it. I’m sure you’ll recognize your club’s SUV in the driveway.”

“Thanks.”

The man held out his hand. “I’m King. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

I shook his hand and made my way inside the compound. He was right. The house was easy to find. I parked my bike and walked up to the door, taking a moment to run a hand through my hair and smooth my shirt. I probably looked like hell, but I needed to hold Luciana, to see for myself that she was all right.

The door was locked, so I knocked and waited. Teller opened it and grinned.

“‘Bout damn time,” he said. “Get in here, Pres, and see if you can get your woman to eat something. She’s worried herself to death.”

I stepped inside and followed the sound of female voices. Luciana and her two sisters were at the kitchen table. Violeta and Sofia had nearly cleared their plates, but Luciana didn’t seem to have taken a single bite. She was smiling, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Teller moved farther into the room and I followed. Luciana didn’t even look my way. I smiled as I went closer and knelt by her side.

“Luciana,” I said.

Her head whipped around in my direction and her jaw dropped, then the tears started. She sobbed and threw herself at me, her arms going around my neck.

“It’s okay, baby girl. I’m here.”

Even though I hadn’t been able to reach Teller, I had spoken to Torch. Once, at any rate. If she’d been so scared, why hadn’t someone told her that I was all right? It was ridiculous that she’d worried herself sick when I was perfectly fine, and if Torch knew, then it was likely that several Dixie Reapers had known that as well. His officers at the very least. I’d be having words with Torch before the night was over, whether I was on his territory or not.

“I-I thought you were d-dead.”

“Gonna take more than that to kill me,” I said.

“I convinced her to take the master bedroom,” Teller said. “I think the two of you could use some alone time. The girls and I will head out for a walk.”

I gave him a nod and lifted Luciana into my arms, then carried her to the back of the house. I opened two doors before I finally found what seemed to be her room. The clothes she’d been wearing the day we’d met her father were washed and folded on the dresser. After I shut the door, I carried her into the bathroom and eased her down onto the counter. There was a stack of folded cloths so I grabbed one and ran it under some cool water, then pressed it to her face, dabbing at her tears and hoping it would calm her down.

“I had a reason to stay alive,” I told her. “Three of them.”

Her lip trembled and she started crying again, gripping my arms tight.

“Luciana? What’s wrong?”

“I lost them,” she said softly. “I lost the babies.”

I gathered her close and breathed in her scent. “I’m so damn sorry, sweetheart. I know you were looking forward to having them.”

“Now I’ll never be a mother,” she said, her words cutting me deep. It was my fault she felt that way. If I hadn’t been snipped, then I could possibly give her some kids.

“We’ll adopt,” I said. “Lots of kids out there need a home. Look at me, Luciana.”

She pulled back and her gaze held mine.

“I love you. So damn much,” I said. “The doctor warned us the babies weren’t doing well, hadn’t developed properly. Maybe it’s for the best. You could have gotten into the delivery room and had two stillborn kids. Or maybe we’d have been lucky and they’d have lived. Everything happens for a reason, Luciana.”

“Everything?” she asked, and I knew she was thinking about her past.

“I hate what happened to you. If I could wipe the earth of all rapists, then I would. But the fact your father didn’t want you, treated you so badly, is what brought you to me. I’m so fucking glad to have you in my life, Luciana. You’re my entire world.”

She snuggled against me. “You’d really be willing to adopt?”

“Of course. Anything you want.” And I did mean anything. When I’d had my vasectomy, the doc had mentioned it might be possible to reverse it. There was no guarantee, and I’d had it done so damn long ago I didn’t think the chances were good, but I could always look into it if that’s what Luciana wanted.

I kissed her, soft and slow. Luciana moaned and leaned in closer, then stopped. “We can’t.” She placed her hand on my chest. “Not yet. The doctor said I’m still healing. He suggested I wait two weeks. There’s still a bit of bleeding.”

“I wish I had known, had been here.”

“Where were you?” she asked.

“The D.E.A. was on the clubhouse doorstep when I left the airstrip. I had to get that shit sorted out before they decided to arrest all of us. I tried to call Teller, but he never answered.”

She ran her fingers through my beard. “I’m just glad you’re here. I missed you, and I love you so much.”

“Love you too, baby girl.” I kissed her again. “Let’s take a shower, then rest a bit. It was a long-ass drive down here. I promise I won’t do anything I shouldn’t.”

She smiled and nodded.

I started the shower, letting the water get nice and hot. I helped Luciana out of her clothes, then removed mine. We stepped into the shower and I shut the glass door. I took my time washing her, being as gentle as I could for fear of hurting her. After she rinsed, she grabbed the soap and started cleaning me. A mischievous look crossed her face as she neared my cock. Her soap-slicked hand wrapped around my shaft, and she stroked it hard, tugging just the right amount. When she added a twist to her stroke, I damn near came.

“Have to get you good and clean.” Her lips tilted up in a smile. When I was seconds from spilling my release all over her hand, she rinsed me off, then dropped to her knees.

“Luciana. You don’t have to do this.”

“I want to,” she said, lapping the head of my cock. “Now use me, Spider.”

“Use you?”

She nodded. “Take what you need from me.”

I groaned as she licked my shaft. Fucking hell. She was trying to kill me.

“Open up, baby girl. Open wide.”

Her lips parted and I fisted her hair, tipping her head a little. I pushed my cock into her mouth.

“That’s it. You’re going to take it all, aren’t you?”

She hummed her agreement.

“This is going to be fast and hard, baby girl. Need you too much. Relax your throat.”

She placed her hands on my thighs and I started fucking her mouth with long, deep strokes. She greedily sucked me and it wasn’t long before my balls were drawing up and I was seconds away from exploding.

“Fuck, baby girl. Gonna come.”

She hummed at me again.

“Swallow for me.”

Her hands gripped my legs tighter and I thrust hard and deep, unloading jet after jet of cum into her mouth and down her throat. She swallowed every drop, then licked me clean. I helped her to her feet, hating that I didn’t get to please her too. I’d make it up to her, when she was healed, and ready. I wouldn’t push. Losing the babies, and fearing that I was dead, had been hard on her.

“Come on, sweetheart. Time to rest. Tomorrow we’ll start planning our return trip home.”

I shut off the water and dried both of us, then led her to the large bed. I slid under the covers and made room for Luciana, tugging her down next to me. She curled against my body, and I held her close. It hurt, knowing she’d lost the babies, but as long as I had her, then I didn’t need anything else. But if she needed more than just me, I’d do anything to give it to her. Whatever it might be.

Epilogue

One Month Later

Luciana

My hands twisted in my skirt and I danced from foot to foot. Today was the big day. I didn’t know how Spider had pulled it off, but he’d told me about a little girl who needed a new home. We weren’t going through an adoption agency, and I’d decided I didn’t want to know the details. I wasn’t going to question the wonderful gift we were receiving.

Teller pulled to a stop in front of the house and got out of the club SUV. He smiled and gave me a wink as he opened the back door and pulled out a little girl dressed all in pink. Carefully, he brought her around the front of the vehicle and handed Spider a folder and a bag, then gave the little girl to me. I gazed down at the beautiful little girl in my arms and loved her instantly.

“Spider,” I said softly.

He wrapped an arm around my waist. “She’s ours, Luciana. Her mother signed away her rights, and Surge is working on getting everything in order. Her name is Marianna, and she’s a year old.”

I reached and down and stroked Marianna’s baby soft cheek.

Spider smiled at our new daughter. “She has a few developmental delays. I didn’t think you’d care. The mother didn’t want her, claimed she was too much trouble. Honestly, I think the mom was doing drugs when she was pregnant, but I had a pediatrician check her out and she seems healthy.”

I rubbed her cheek again, marveling at how perfect she was. “She’s beautiful, and the most precious thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Marianna,” Spider said, “Meet your new momma. I have a feeling you’re going to be one spoiled little girl.”

“Let me know if you need a babysitter.” Teller grinned. “Kids love me.”

Spider wrapped his arm around my waist and led me inside the house. Marianna clung to me, and I was loving every moment of it. She was perfect. And ours.

“I love you, Marianna,” I murmured.

She grinned and reached up to pull my hair. Spider nodded toward the hallway and I carried Marianna as we went to her bedroom. Spider had painted it lavender and quickly put together a baby bed and changing table. We’d decorated with butterflies and flowers. She gazed around her room, as if she was taking everything in, then babbled a bit.

“She’s really ours?” I asked, almost afraid someone would come snatch her out of my arms.

“Yes, Luciana. She’s ours. No one will ever take her from us.” He looked around the room. “She may need to remain in the crib longer than most kids. I’m not sure what she is and isn’t capable of right now, but we’ll figure it out.”

“Thank you,” I said softly, leaning up to kiss him.

The little girl, my new daughter, had dark hair just like me, but her eyes were a lighter color. Somewhere between blue and gray. Her skin wasn’t as dusky as mine, and I wondered about her heritage. Not that it mattered to me, but I wanted to be able to tell her one day about where she came from. Maybe just leave out the druggie mother.

“You have a home. A husband. And now a daughter. What else does my sexy wife want or need?” he asked.

“Nothing. I have everything I could ever want or need right here.”

Spider kissed me, long and slow, until Marianna giggled and started to squirm. I set her down and let her explore her new room. Spider tugged me into the hall and put a baby gate across the doorway to Marianna’s room. Making sure we were just out of sight of our new daughter, he pressed me against the wall, grinding his cock against me.

“When she goes to sleep, I’m going to show you just how hot you are as a mom. Seeing her in your arms made me wish I could give you a dozen more.”

I nipped his lower lips, then kissed him quickly. “I don’t think we have room for a dozen. Besides, I have a feeling that Marianna will keep us busy enough.”

Spider kissed me a while longer, until our daughter caught our attention. She reached through the bars of the baby gate and babbled at us. Spider reached over and picked her up, holding her close to his chest. My eyes misted with tears at how sweet they looked together. My big, gruff biker and the adorable little girl in pink.

I pulled his phone from his pocket, unlocked it, and snapped a picture of the two of them together. Spider reached out and brought me over to his side, then took a selfie with me and Marianna. Our first family picture.

“I love you,” I told him.

“Love you too, baby girl. I thought I had everything I needed. Then you walked into my life and I learned exactly what I’d been missing. I don’t want to live a second without you, or without Marianna. This club has always been my family, but now I have a wife and daughter as well. You tore down the walls around my heart, and showed me what it was to fall in love.”

“Spider.” I pressed my lips together, afraid I’d burst into tears if I said anything else. I tried to compose myself, then blew out a breath. “You are the most incredible man I’ve ever met. I was scared at first, thinking you were like the others. Then you proved me wrong, and I saw your big heart and experienced kindness from a man for the first time in my life. I’m so glad that Casper gave me to you because you’re the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you. Always and forever.”

We shared another kiss, then spent the rest of the day getting to know our daughter. I didn’t care if other people didn’t see her as perfect. Marianna was beautiful and sweet, and she was mine. That’s all that mattered.

I thought I’d lost everything, had no reason to keep living, and then Spider had given me the world. My big, tough biker with the heart of gold and the squishiness of a teddy bear, at least when it came to me and his daughter. The only man I would ever want or need. And he was mine.

Disclaimer

Dear Reader,

As usual, I’ve taken a few liberties while writing this story. But then, it wouldn’t be fiction otherwise. There is a president of Colombia, but I used a made-up name and in no way does my character represent the true Colombian president. The characters in this story are completely made up and are not based off real-life people.

I tried to make it clear there would be triggers for those who have suffered abuse. I would never want to cause pain to anyone in any way, so I hope you didn’t find the story to be too dark for your reading pleasure. For those who believe that Luciana would have never accepted Spider so easily due to her past, or truly wanted him, you’d be surprised how different people cope with the things they’ve suffered. While one rape survivor may never want human touch again, another will own their sexuality and need the feeling of being in charge of who touches them. There’s no right or wrong way for a person to heal from a traumatic experience, and no two people are ever alike.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. It’s hard to believe the first Harley Wylde book released in the fall of 2016, and now Spider makes #24. Starting the Dixie Reapers series in late 2017 (first published in early 2018), was probably the best thing I’ve ever done. I really love that world and the characters, and that series has inspired the Devil’s Boneyard and now the Hades Abyss series.

As much as I love to write, I would likely continue to write even if I never sold a book, but it’s you who makes writing worthwhile. Knowing that my books have a home, and might give someone a few hours of enjoyment, is reason enough to keep going. So thank you for your support and for picking my book to read out of the millions of books out there!

Harley Wylde

When Harley is writing, her motto is the hotter the better. Off-the-charts sex, commanding men, and the women who can’t deny them. If you want men who talk dirty, are sexy as hell, and take what they want, then you’ve come to the right place!

An international bestselling author, Harley is the “wilder” side of award-winning Sci-Fi/Fantasy Romance author Jessica Coulter Smith, and writes Gay Fantasy Romance as Dulce Dennison.

Harley on Changeling: changelingpress.com/harley-wylde-a-196

Jessica on Changeling: changelingpress.com/jessica-coulter-smith-a-144

Dulce on Changeling: changelingpress.com/dulce-dennison-a-205