MonsterThey couldn't even give me one day. Surely it wasn't too much to ask for. One day where I didn't have to deal with any crap. It wasn't even my crap I was continuously wading through but everyone else’s. Ever since I had agreed to seduce Angela for Gio, my life had been a never-ending shit show and I was fed up with it. My eyes flicked up to watch her dress. Studying her, I couldn't bring myself to regret it though. I hadn't been looking for anything more than getting laid by a beautiful woman but I had found something. And it was something real. Primal passion sure, but more than that as well. Angela had come into my life like a wrecking ball, laying everything to waste in her past and I wouldn't have it any other way. I couldn't imagine my life without her in it in some capacity, well, I could but it didn’t bear thinking about. “Who’s being the creeper now, Monster?” She thrust out a hip, one slender eyebrow arching. And I bit back a laugh. I wasn't sorry that I had been ca
Angela“So what kind of dress do you want?”Darcie’s question took me by surprise. We spent the majority of the car ride in silence, with Gypsy and a woman who was introduced to me as Sylvia riding quietly in the back. The only person who was missing was the blonde who belonged to Cyber. Iris. And I had been told that she would meet us later. She had some prenatal check-ups before that she couldn't miss.“I don't know,” I admitted, not taking my eyes from the window where I was sightlessly looking. That wasn't exactly the truth. I had always had an idea of the kind of dress I would be willing to get married in. But I had never really hoped I would get the chance. My father’s ideas were conservative at best. The total opposite to my own. I had always known he would be bankrolling my wedding and he would have made a lot of decisions for me - including the dress.But he wouldn't get a chance to dictate what I was going to wear on my big day now, though I doubted very much that I would fi
Monster“Honestly, I don't know whether she’s going to be happy with that.” I threw my hands up exasperated. Everyone seemed to have a say in how my wedding was going to be. Everyone except me and Angela. The two people who should have a say. Personally, I couldn't care less. I would have quite happily gone to the courthouse and done it all quietly. Gio had other ideas though. He wanted it to be a spectacle. One big final middle finger to her father. For a crime lord, he was petty as fuck. I might not care, but Angela was female and girls always cared about that kind of stuff. “I'll have to ask Angela and see …”Gio cut me off. His finger tapping on the screen on Cyber’s laptop. My best friend looked none too happy to be using his laptop to plan a wedding. It would have made me laugh under other circumstances. But it was my wedding.My wedding.Shit, even the thought should have sent me into a panic. I was Monster. The last person anyone with half a brain cell would think would ever
AngelaI didn’t know where he got off telling me what was going to happen. This didn't just affect him. It would affect my life as well.“The plan is….” He didn't let me finish, with one small shove against my shoulders he sent me sprawling back against the mattress. I bounced twice before coming to a stop.“The plan has changed, Angel, you need to roll with it.” Climbing over me and looking every bit the apex predator, Monster bit down on the swell of my breasts. “No one even knows if it's going to happen.” He sucked the mound into his mouth, hard enough that I knew he would leave a mark. “All I know for certain is that I'm going to marry you.”I wanted to melt at his words. Not because they were overly romantic but because they were sincere. Not many people in my life had ever been totally honest with me. They always had another motive. With Monster it was different. Sure, he had agreed to marry me to get his hands on my fortune, but going to prison for me? That was for me. Because
Angela“Angela.” My father’s greeting was warm as he kissed my cheeks. His hands were firm on my shoulders. His voice might have been that of a loving father saying hello to his daughter, but his eyes told a different story. They were cold. The look he gave me was one of pure disgust.In the last few weeks I had shattered any illusions he had of me. I had spent years pretending to be someone I wasn't all because I wanted to be free of him. And even though I was free, I was about to put myself back exactly where I had started. Shackled. Imprisoned. It didn't matter what words you used to describe it.I would sacrifice my freedom so Monster could be free. “Hello, Dad.” I couldn't bring myself to call him Daddy. Not any longer. I could barely bring myself to call him Dad. A loving dutiful daughter I wasn't, but he was just as bad. A real father would have been happy that his daughter had found someone she wanted to spend her life with. A real father wouldn't force his daughter to marry
MonsterI hated waiting. Even on a good day it made me feel itchy inside. But waiting for Angela to come back from the trip into town she said she needed to make, especially when I had such a big surprise for her, was like someone had poured itching powder into my brain. It was getting so bad that I wanted to rip my own eyes out just so I could get access to my brain and give it a good scratch.“Will you stop pacing?” Fang snarled as I yet again turned on my heel and headed in his direction. I had been pacing for the last hour.Back and forth.Back and forth.I couldn’t help it. I was full of nervous energy. And I had no way of relieving it. I needed Angela to waltz back in through the doors so I could show her what I had got for her.I wanted to see her face when she opened the box. More than anything I wanted to see her face light up with happiness that I had created. Angela being happy was important to me. Whether we had a few weeks together or longer didn’t matter. As long as at
MonsterEveryone thought I was losing it and maybe they were right. I sank into drink and women but nothing was enough to dull the aching pit in my stomach. It was more than just shame. If I didn't know better I would have said it was heartbreak.Except I was Monster and I didn't own a heart to break.Keeping to myself was the best option, and the only way I had any hope of getting through it. I hated the way my club brothers looked at me. The way the old ladies fussed around me like I was a delicate flower. I’m sure if they’d had their way they would have come in my room with ice cream and chocolate, like they would have if it was a girlfriend. But I wasn't one of their damn friends. I was Monster. And I had just learnt a lesson many learnt in their teenage years: how it felt to be used and then cast aside by someone you thought you had a future with. I had made the mistake of letting Angela in. I downed the drink in my glass before slamming it down on the bar and signalling for an
Monster“I know you, you’re…” My uncle squinted at me with his bleary, alcohol addled eyes but I didn't let him finish. I smashed my fist into his face before he could say my real name and sent him reeling backwards. I stepped into the house as he fell to the floor. The Judge brought up the rear, his chuckle menacing as he closed the door behind us.“What the hell? Get the fuck out of my house!” My uncle's foot lashed out, connecting with my shin and sending shockwaves of pain through me. If he thought a little pain was going to stop me then he had a lot to learn about me. I had dealt with pain my entire life, both physical and mental. Righting myself, I aimed a kick at his gut. The first one landed just below his ribs and I knew from the rush of air he exhaled that I had winded him. It wasn't enough. I put everything I had into the second kick, aiming it squarely at his face. The bones of his nose crunched under my foot. I didn't need to look down to know that his blood now stained
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.