MonsterThere was something about having Angel behind me, her laughter filling my ears, that felt natural. And that all by itself was unnatural. I didn't know why she affected me the way she did, but I couldn't lie to myself and pretend she didn't. She had affected me from the moment she had said hello in Las Vegas. I had thought it was instant lust. She was beyond sexy and she owned it. But I was starting to feel unsure. Angela was deeper than she pretended to be. She wore her bitchy hard outer shell like a shield, but there was something soft under it. Something she desperately tried to hide. I didn’t know why it had taken me so long to figure it out. Angel needed someone on her side, someone to protect her. She tried to pretend her darkness was the same as mine but I was a master at seeing past the masks people wore. And the girl laughing in my ear was wearing a good one. I had never thought of myself as a protector, hell, I’d even laughed at Cyber and Havoc’s sudden personality
AngelaI couldn't help but watch the blonde woman as she moved around behind the counter with a happy, easy-going smile on her face. It wasn’t put on, that smile, it was genuine. She liked people, she liked her job and the people around her liked her back. Not because she was overly sexy but because she was nice. I could see men finding her attractive though, and I could see women finding her beautiful. She had a wholesome look about her with her curly blonde hair and upturned nose. Keeley was the kind of woman I had always made feel small because she was so different to me. She was different from Monster as well. I tore my eyes from her and fixed them on him. “She’s your family?”Monster stared at me, folding his hands together on the table. He didn't say a word. “She’s not what I was expecting.” I finished lamely. I didn’t like the way he was looking at me. “Pretty girl.”“Yeah, she is.” His eyes flicked towards his cousin and he smiled. He had a true affection for her. Would he
Monster“What the hell are you thinking?” Cyber sidled up to me outside the diner with Keeley close behind him. Everyone else was still inside, laughing, talking, getting to know each other. Angela was charming, she would have to be to win over my friends. They all knew what she had done, who she was related to. She wasn’t going to be able to flirt her way into being liked either. Her sexiness wouldn’t do her a bit of good with the men at our table. Each one of them had an old lady they would do anything for. Old ladies who would rip Angela to shreds if she stepped out of line.Leaning against the plate glass window, I stared at him. My face impassive. “What the fuck do you mean what am I doing?”Groaning, Cyber turned to Keeley. “Talk some sense into him, Keeley, he will listen to you.”My cousin didn’t say a word, she just continued to stare at me, wringing her hands in front of her. She looked nervous. And so much like the little girl who always told it how it was no matter what
AngelaHe couldn't be serious? Could he? I glanced around the cramped, drab room and I couldn't help the frown that crinkled my forehead. There were boxes everywhere overflowing with God knows what and a musty smell in the air. Like the windows had not been opened in a very long time. Apart from the boxes, there was a bed pressed up against the wall and a dresser - that was it.And Monster expected me to stay there?“You can't be serious?”Monster shot me a look. His face mirrored the frown on mine. “What's wrong with it?” There was a note of defensiveness in his voice. I fought back the urge to ask him what was right with it. He seriously couldn't be asking me to stay there. Even his boxy room back at the clubhouse was better than where we were standing. Cleaner, more specious. The room he had shown me to was more like a cell than anything else. I half expected to find a sink and a metal toilet in the corner once I started moving all the boxes.“Once we move out the boxes and you giv
MonsterThe clubhouse was full when we arrived, all piled into Keeley’s clapped-out little car. I had wanted to take my bike but I also wanted my cousin there. And I knew she wouldn’t come unless we all went together. She very rarely came to the clubhouse, not because she judged the men I called brothers, but because it just wasn't her scene. And honestly I was fine with that, I hadn't been lying to Angela about Keeley being a sweet girl.“Looks like the party started without us.” I didn't even try to hide my excitement. I might not like clubs, but I liked a clubhouse party. There, amongst my own people, I didn't have to hide who I was because they already knew. They knew and they accepted me anyway. “Yeah.” Angela said from the back. She wasn't happy about being shoved back there but then I was betting there wasn't much Angela was ever happy about. She was a spoiled princess who was prone to temper tantrums, but I was sure I could fuck that out of her. Earlier she had tried to throw
AngelaIt wasn't as bad as I was suspecting it would be. For the most part, everyone left me alone, but there was a certain group of women who seemed to try at least to make an effort in welcoming me. Which was nice, seeing as Monster did not seem at all interested. He was too busy drinking with his buddies. Was this what it was going to be like? Me being ignored whilst he partied without me? And more importantly, why did I care?“Sometimes it's like that.” The curvy woman leaning against the wall next to me nodded in Monster's direction, where some skank who was barely dressed was bouncing her ass at him, trying to look seductive as she glanced over her shoulder. I frowned, mentally shaking myself. Was my jealousy so obvious?“Like what?”“The club girls.” Darcie shrugged. “They can be a bit full on. The first time I came here with Havoc, one pressed her tits against the window of his truck while we were kissing and then offered to suck his dick. They are desperate to get a property
Monster“Let me look.” Monster appeared in the door of the kitchen. I raised my face to meet his eyes, the ice pack still pressed against my rapidly swelling face. I tried to smile but it just hurt too damn much. More gently than I had ever thought possible, he moved my hand down. With me sitting on the countertops, we were at eye level. His were dull, washed out. I had never seen them like that before. Tilting up my chin, he studied the marbled bruise that was already spreading across my face.Not even expertly applied make up was going to be able to hide it. “Shit.” He swore, stepping back. “That's gonna leave a nasty bruise. Nothing broken though, right?” His eyes flicked towards Gypsy who was washing her hands at the sink. I didn't know why he was looking at the little hippy chick but he seemed to be waiting for her to reassure him.“Nothing broken, Monster. Angela is going to be sore for a while but there's no permanent damage.” Turning, Gypsy gave me a wide smile. It was the
MonsterI wasn't out by morning. I wasn't even out the following day. Three days Angela’s asshole of a father kept me locked up. I had done longer but there was something different about this time. It felt different, like this was just the beginning, or maybe I was just imagining it. It could have been because Angela was waiting for me. Or at least I hoped she was.And that was the truth. If being locked up gave you anything, it was time to think. And my thoughts always strayed to her. Me, Monster, thinking about a woman, having feelings for a woman, because I did have feelings for her. I wasn't quite sure what those feelings were just yet but they were there. When I thought about her my chest ached as well as my balls. By the time I walked into the compound in the early hours of day four, I was aching to see her. Every part of me hoped she had stuck around, but I wasn't betting on it. This wasn't what she had in mind when she had appeared in my life a week earlier. She’d had a plan
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.