GretalI shouldn't have told him. I had been told not to. But I had never been able to lie to Hansel. I could understand why Fang hadn't wanted me to mention it to my husband though.They suspected Hansel.I didn't.Hansel was a hot mess, but he would never go against his club. Not ever, and it was for that reason and that reason alone that I told him. “You're not doing it, Gretal,” he growled out, his back ramrod straight. I moved towards him without thinking, placing my hands flat on his back. He was vibrating with anger. “Over my dead body,” he snarled. “It's because I don't want your body dead that I'm doing it.” He whirled about in my arms, taking me by surprise. I stumbled backwards and it was his big hands closing around my waist that stopped me stumbling backwards onto the bed. Although I wasn't sure if he would have minded that either. I had seen the way he had looked at me when I sat down. The way he always looked at me. No man in the history of the world made me feel t
HanselI stayed away from her. It was hard, but I never stopped watching her. Whether she was my wife or not didn't matter. She was Gretal, and I would always have her back. But, God, it was hard watching her dance with everyone but me. Flirt and laugh with everyone but me. It was almost too much and I couldn't even escape back to my room and lose myself in another woman.Whilst Gretal was there, whilst she needed me, there would be no other women.If by some long shot she gave me another chance, there would never be another woman. Not ever again. I was glad when Monster and Angela finally left. It meant that the party was winding down. Gretal would go back to her room, she would lock the door and be safe. Or as safe as she would ever be seeing the job she had been asked to do. I would be able to close my eyes and rest, maybe if I was lucky, grab a few hours’ sleep. Fang might think there was a traitor in our midst, but I couldn't believe it. These were my brothers. Men I trusted wi
GretalShower, clean clothes and coffee.In that exact order was what I needed and then I needed to be on the road. I had promised that I would be staying for the weekend. Everyone had expected me to stay and catch up but after last night I just couldn't stand the thought of facing Hansel again.When I had snuck into his room, the last thing I had expected was for him to tell me no. Hansel never said no to getting sweaty with me. Or at least he never used to.Why couldn't he understand that we were no good together as a couple and just let me go? I couldn't be in his life and watch him fuck his way through every woman in a ten-mile radius on a regular basis. And that's what he would do if I gave him another chance. As far as I knew he had never been with another woman when we were together but it had only been a matter of time before he did. I had just left before that could happen. I had ridden away before he could break my heart more than his words had. Climbing into his bed had b
HanselIt was worse this time. When she had left after our argument, I didn't know what was happening. I had presumed, wrongly, that she would be back. That she was just taking some time to clear her head. When she hadn't come back, when she continued to not come home, I had spiralled into a pit of self-loathing so deep and black that I thought I would never come out of it. When she sent divorce papers, I had thrown myself into anything that would distract me. Alcohol, drugs, women. Anything to take the edge off the misery I was feeling. But this time was worse. She had kissed me and then left anyway without giving me any definite promises except the one that she would think about it. She loved me still, I knew that. That was never in question. The question was whether she loved me enough to give me another shot.“Are you still moping around?” Cyber folded his huge, tattooed frame onto a stool next to me, motioning for the barmaid to pour him his usual drink. “Drinking, not moping
HanselIt was worse this time. When she had left after our argument, I didn't know what was happening. I had presumed, wrongly, that she would be back. That she was just taking some time to clear her head. When she hadn't come back, when she continued to not come home, I had spiralled into a pit of self-loathing so deep and black that I thought I would never come out of it. When she sent divorce papers, I had thrown myself into anything that would distract me. Alcohol, drugs, women. Anything to take the edge off the misery I was feeling. But this time was worse. She had kissed me and then left anyway without giving me any definite promises except the one that she would think about it. She loved me still, I knew that. That was never in question. The question was whether she loved me enough to give me another shot.“Are you still moping around?” Cyber folded his huge, tattooed frame onto a stool next to me, motioning for the barmaid to pour him his usual drink. “Drinking, not moping
HanselGretal was beautiful, but every time I saw her, whether she was sitting talking to the others, or just in passing, her beauty was like a knife to the heart. She was mine and I couldn't have her. Not because she didn't want to be mine, but because she had a job to do. Someone was killing the working girls who had been freed from a life of sexual enslavement. Which meant she was firmly on that killer's radar. Someone had already tried to hurt her. This time, they hadn’t succeeded but she was still in danger. Having her close to me might make me feel better, but it would probably put her in even more danger. And there was the little fact that Fang and Gio suspected me. And I couldn't be one hundred percent sure Gretal didn't have those same suspicions. So all I could do was sit and watch her from afar, my jaw clenched so tight that I was sure I was wearing my teeth down every time I saw her with Gio. Make believe or not, every time she touched him I wanted to break my fist aga
GretalLying in bed with a man who wasn’t Hansel, when I could still feel the wetness of my orgasm against my panties was pure torture. It didn’t matter that Gio wasn’t touching me, simply being next to him felt like a betrayal.All of these years apart and I was still worried about betraying my marriage vows. Sure there had been other people, for both of us, but that was because we were apart. Being back under the same roof as him was bringing up feelings that I thought I had buried. And I was good at that. Burying my feelings for him. When I had been forced to work at The Candy House, when I had been forced to sell my body, I had turned my feelings of love into those of hate. I had thought he had forsaken me, but then he came back. He had literally knocked me off my feet again, like some avenging hero and made it all better, and all the hatred evaporated. Because I loved him. I had always loved him and I always would. “You seem tense, Gretal?” Gio’s voice spoke from the darkness.
GretalIt was worse than anything I could have imagined. Maybe because I had known Keeley since she was eighteen years old - the sweetest, most pure soul I had ever met - it hit me harder. She was huddled on the floor behind the counter and one look around told me she had put up a hell of a fight. There were shattered plates and glasses all over the floor. A smear of blood on the floor. A tiny amount of blood but it seemed to stand out in stark contrast. And then my eyes found her. And it was worse than anything I had ever seen before. And I had seen a lot of bad shit.Keeley half lay, half sat in the foetal position in the farthest corner. Her whole body was shaking. Her usually silky blonde curls lay limp against her wet cheeks. There was an ugly bruise on her left cheek and around her throat. Like someone had wrapped their hands around it and tried to squeeze the life from her. But it was her eyes that hit me.They were wide and haunted. I knew the look on her face because I ha
Gretal“You’re home.” In an instant I was off his bed and rushing towards him, yanking his head down to mine so I could kiss his lips greedily. It was instinctive, the kind of greeting I had given him in the old days when I had missed him every second that he was away from me. Before things had all gone wrong. Hansel untangled himself with a small chuckle. “Of course I’m home. I said I wouldn’t be long.” Even as our lips parted, his hands were closing around my waist, keeping me close to him. “I like the way you say it, by the way.”Craning my head up to look at him, I arched an eyebrow. “How I say what?”“Home, that I’m home. Although I wouldn’t call the clubhouse our home, not unless you want to live here of course.” His eyes crinkled as he smiled.“Anywhere you are is home, Hansel.” The words left my mouth before I could stop them. Not that they weren’t true. They were. I was tired of being away from him. Sure, we had a lot of shit to sort out, but we were older now, wiser. I knew
HanselHow was it possible that Gretal had disappeared into thin air? I knew it wasn’t possible, but that’s what it felt like. Like she had literally vanished. I knew it wasn’t the case but that’s how it seemed, The club was out in force, scouting the streets, making calls to any and all contacts that could help, and so far, there had been nothing. Not one damn sighting. And I hated to admit it, but I was losing hope.No Gretal and no Pope. It weighed so heavily on me that I found it hard to breathe. Slowing the bike, I ripped the bandana from around my chin and nose, sucking in a deep lungful of cool night air. It still wasn’t enough. Was it possible to suffocate from panic? That’s what it felt like. Like someone was squeezing the life out of me. That’s when I saw it. If I hadn't slowed, I wouldn’t have. Squealing to a stop, I snapped my head back, looking over the hedge to the parking lot. Pope’s bike. I was sure of it. How many years had I ridden alongside it? I would know it a
GretalPulling my phone from my pocket, I ignored the barrage of messages from my husband that flashed up on the screen the moment I switched it on. He was worried about me, mostly because he knew I was about to do something stupid. Except it wasn’t stupid. It was justice. Keeley deserved to be avenged, so did those other girls.So did I. Swiping passed them, I clicked on the camera option, checking my face out. I looked good. My lips were ruby red and glossy, my lashes thick with mascara, my hair curled around my face in soft waves. I looked good enough to eat.And I hoped Pope would think so as well. After all, if he didn’t take the bait then all of this was for nothing. He would fall for it though; I knew he would. Men like him always did. They thought they were superior. That they could take what they wanted without asking. And Pope wanted me. I had seen it in his eyes in the way he had looked at me. I had thought he was just being overly friendly, trying his luck a little. Bu
HanselIt was growing dark when we pulled up outside the Son’s compound. I had ridden without stopping all day, desperate to get back to them. To tell Fang and the others what I suspected. No, not what I suspected. I knew it was true. I didn’t need Sylvie to tell me. The evidence was written all over her face. It dripped from the agony in her voice.“Off the bike, love.” I wanted to be patient with her, but time was already running out. I needed to get her somewhere safe and then I needed to get to The Otter, I would have gone there first if the clubhouse hadn’t been nearer. I hoped to find him inside. And I could exact my revenge without having to worry about my wife and her whereabouts “Hansel, please.” Sylvie was back to begging, she had been nagging in my ear for hours. And she would have the exact same response to it as I had given her before.Nothing.I tugged her off the bike. The prospect who had been lounging by the front door smoking a cigarette straightened as she gave ou
HanselMoney swapped hands easily enough. I had done these kinds of drops often, so it was no big deal. What was a big deal was the fact I was miles away from Gretal and she wasn’t answering her phone. I had been calling her pretty much nonstop. It was one thing The Judge telling me she was fine but I wanted to hear her voice. To see her in person would have been better, but I could tell if she was really ok by her voice. I knew her well enough. Leaning heavily on my bike, I fished my phone out of my pocket. My fingers pressed the redial button without looking. I didn’t expect her to answer, so far she hadn’t, so I was surprised when she picked up. “Hansel.”She sounded breathy, like she had been crying and was trying to hide it from me. “What the hell is going on, Gretal, are you crying?” Doubt ripped through me. She was upset. I had been right when I thought something had happened but I had taken The Judge at his word that he would protect them. Had I been wrong to do that? “No
Gretal“Is she ok?” I raised my eyes wearily as Gypsy came into the small living room. She flopped down on the chair nearest the window with a sigh, her fingers plucking to move the drapes away so she could look down at the dark street below. “Yeah, she's alright. I gave her a mild sedative. She will hopefully sleep until morning.” She sighed again. “There's some…” She swallowed hard, and I could tell by her face that she was reliving her own attack. I had heard briefly what Gypsy had been through. And it had been horrific. “There's some tearing and bruising. A condom was used so we don’t have to worry about pregnancy or sexual transmitted infections. Not that it makes it better, but at least she doesn’t have to worry about that.” Yeah, I agreed with her silently. At least she didn’t have to worry about that. “God, I need a drink.” Darcie was on her feet, her voice shaky. “Yeah, a drink sounds good.” We all deserved one. And being above a bar we were in a perfect place for one. O
HanselThe clubhouse was oddly quiet when I emerged the next morning. I had expected there to be at least some girly chatter. Since Gretal had come back, the common room seemed to be filled with girly chatter. But there was none and it made me feel oddly ill at ease.One look at Fang who was pacing the length of the room, like some agitated bearded squirrel, and I knew I had every right to feel worried. Making my way over to him, I swung him around to face me. “What's happened?” One glance at his face and I knew something had, his face was twisted in misery. “Where's Gypsy?” Another look around and I was sure she wasn’t there. None of the women were, not even the club girls had surfaced yet, the whole clubhouse felt like it was grieving. There was only one thing to put that kind of misery on his face and it was if something had happened to Gypsy. “What's happened? Fang talk to me.”“She rang and said she wasn’t coming home for a few days. She sounded…” His voice broke and he cleare
GretalIt was worse than anything I could have imagined. Maybe because I had known Keeley since she was eighteen years old - the sweetest, most pure soul I had ever met - it hit me harder. She was huddled on the floor behind the counter and one look around told me she had put up a hell of a fight. There were shattered plates and glasses all over the floor. A smear of blood on the floor. A tiny amount of blood but it seemed to stand out in stark contrast. And then my eyes found her. And it was worse than anything I had ever seen before. And I had seen a lot of bad shit.Keeley half lay, half sat in the foetal position in the farthest corner. Her whole body was shaking. Her usually silky blonde curls lay limp against her wet cheeks. There was an ugly bruise on her left cheek and around her throat. Like someone had wrapped their hands around it and tried to squeeze the life from her. But it was her eyes that hit me.They were wide and haunted. I knew the look on her face because I ha
GretalLying in bed with a man who wasn’t Hansel, when I could still feel the wetness of my orgasm against my panties was pure torture. It didn’t matter that Gio wasn’t touching me, simply being next to him felt like a betrayal.All of these years apart and I was still worried about betraying my marriage vows. Sure there had been other people, for both of us, but that was because we were apart. Being back under the same roof as him was bringing up feelings that I thought I had buried. And I was good at that. Burying my feelings for him. When I had been forced to work at The Candy House, when I had been forced to sell my body, I had turned my feelings of love into those of hate. I had thought he had forsaken me, but then he came back. He had literally knocked me off my feet again, like some avenging hero and made it all better, and all the hatred evaporated. Because I loved him. I had always loved him and I always would. “You seem tense, Gretal?” Gio’s voice spoke from the darkness.