Alyssa After a restless nap, I spend the rest of the day with Zuri, clinging to every second as if it might be our last. I know King and Mason will protect me, but the lingering dread feels like a dark cloud I can't shake. There's a heaviness in my chest as I try to keep a smile on my face for Zuri's sake, watching her laugh and play. After kissing both her and Niko goodbye, King, Mason, and I find Gray outside, leaning against his bike with his arms crossed tightly over his chest, like he's trying to hold himself together. His gaze is locked on me as we approach. "Alyssa," he says, his tone clipped. I give him the middle finger. "Kiss my ass, Gray." He lets out a long, controlled sigh, his eyes darting to King, who presses a warm kiss to the back of my head. "I'll give you some space," King murmurs, but I grip his arm, reluctant to let him go. "You don't have to. I don't want to talk to him." Gray's face tightens. "Alyssa, we need to talk. Now." I narrow my ey
Alyssa The building is painted in blood-red and white, its main entrance leading directly into a dimly lit strip club. Fully naked women in heels swing from poles and dance on raised platforms, their bodies cast in flickering lights as if they're putting on a show just for us. It's unsettling. I've never been to a strip club, and I definitely didn't expect my first time would be here—with my brother. A swirl of horror, fear, and intrigue rolls over me. We sit at a large booth, and I scan the room, noting the shadows and corners, wondering if we're being watched. The guard reappears, his voice gruff and annoyed. "Bones will be with you shortly." A tense silence fills the room as we wait. Suddenly, the music changes from something sultry to "Dethrone" by Bad Omens. My blood runs cold. "Somehow, I don't think anyone can dance to this," I think aloud, trying to talk myself out of bolting out of here. "You know, I always imagined this being a song you'd request to be execu
TW: Child abuse, sexual assault, human trafficking, murder, emotional damageAlyssa"Aly, Logan...stay in my office. You know the drill. Don't come out until one of us says so," Daddy orders."Okay, Daddy." I spin around in his big chair, the leather all soft and smooth under my fingers. "Fine. Whatever," Logan mumbles as Daddy closes the door. Rolling his eyes, he slumps into the chair across from me. Logan's kind of my friend. He comes to the clubhouse sometimes with his Uncle Sal, who's mean and always yelling at him. He has short brown hair, and his eyes are a pretty grey color. Mama says she thinks he has a crush on me, but I don't really get what that means. I just like that he plays games with me that make me feel safe—not like Daddy's games. "I heard my Daddy say there were other girls downstairs. Have you ever seen them?" I ask, already feeling bored. I always feel bored when we're not allowed to leave the office. Logan just shakes his head, a little frown on his face. "I
Logan Now that Alyssa's right here in front of me, I can't take my fucking eyes off of her. God, she's beautiful. The last time I saw her, she was only seven, standing by my hospital bed with tears streaking down her face. I was barely awake most days, but that guilt-ridden look she wore burned into my memory. Now, she's twenty-two, a year younger than me, and every bit the goddess I imagined she'd grow into. Even if she's sitting on another man's lap. King Sterling's glare could burn a hole straight through my head, but Alyssa—she recognizes me. I see that glimmer of recognition in her eyes. Seeing me must've triggered her memory. I bet Gray feels like a dumbass right now, walking into a trap I set with Bones' help. Of course, he warned me not to do anything reckless, or let War do anything reckless. Pointing a gun at Gray might've put a target on my back, but I couldn't resist. Bones wants this alliance with the Crimson Reapers; I want her. My gaze drops to the
Alyssa The moment War takes over, I feel it. His posture changes, his shoulders square with a hardened, unsettling confidence, his jaw sets with a sharpness completely different than Logan's. His steel-gray eyes narrow and darken, and a slow, wicked smirk slithers across his face. The air seems to thicken with a menacing aura—not like King's, whose darkness feels protective and safe to me. No, this is different, like an unhinged, wild animal holding off on eating you until it finds the perfect moment. But I still mean what I said...I trust Logan and his alter. War's gaze sweeps over me, and then he leans in close, inhaling deeply. His nose wrinkles with disdain as he pulls back. "Gross. You reek like a goddamn meadow," he grunts, his voice way gruffer than Logan's. He saunters over to the bar as he runs a hand through his short, brown hair, and drops into a seat. "Alex, pour me something stronger. Whiskey's not gonna cut it." Alex doesn't hesitate, grabbing a clear bottle a
Alyssa "Congratulations, Alyssa. I hope you and Isaac are very happy together," Mom says, her voice tender with emotion as she pulls me into a tight embrace. "Thanks, mom." I give her a gentle yet firm squeeze, afraid that if I let go, she'll fall or something. She's too sick to be standing up right now, but she's always been a strong, very stubborn woman. She'd never let anyone here see that she's unwell. After I eventually release her, Gray, my ever-watchful brother, carefully takes her arm, and helps her into a chair. "Grayson, I can seat myself," she protests, a playful defiance in her eyes as she gives him a mock glare. He smiles warmly. "I know you can, Mom," he murmurs, planting a kiss on her forehead before turning to me. "If your husband ever hurts you, I'll shove my foot so far up his ass he can taste it." By the tone in his voice, he absolutely means it. But he has nothing to worry about. I laugh and kiss my brother on the cheek. "No need t
Alyssa Niko isn't as much of an asshole as King, but he still makes it his mission to piss me off. He's a little smaller and less muscular than King, with spiky, dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. Like usual, he wears a blue bandanna around his head, even dressed in a black suit. Mason, on the other hand, is of medium height with a slender frame. He's a redhead with tapered hair, green eyes, and thick-rimmed glasses. He's probably the chillest out of the bunch, never wanting to get his hands dirty. But just because he's associated with them, I hate him too. I roll my eyes. "Fantastic, just what I needed. The full set of my brother's annoying-ass friends." Niko chuckles, his voice laced in amusement. "So mean for no reason, Alyssa. We're just looking out for you, sis." "If you were looking out for me, you wouldn't be tormenting me all the damn time," I retort, crossing my arms as I glare at them. King takes another drag of his cigarette, his intense gaze neve
*Three years later* Alyssa "Open this fucking door, Alyssa!" Isaac barks, banging on the bedroom door with a force that rattles the hinges. With my heart pounding, I scoop up Zuri from her crib, and slip on the small pair of noise-cancelling headphones over her tiny ears. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. Mommy's going to get us out of here," I whisper, my voice trembling as I brush my cheek against hers, drawing comfort from her innocent warmth. I warned him. I warned him that the first time he ever hit me in front of our daughter that, it would be over. But he didn't listen. Tonight, he hit me so hard that I almost fell on top of her while she was sitting on the floor. That was the last fucking straw. I've endured his anger and frustration time and time again, but I can't allow Zuri to grow up thinking this is okay. Even if she's only seven months old and might not remember it, I never wanted her to see that. I'm sorry, babe. I promise it will never happen again. I brought