~MARLOWE~I stared at my reflection, my features distorted within the fissures stretching the length of the bathroom mirror. My hands shook as I gripped the sink. Tiny droplets of red dripped from my hand, staining the porcelain red with my blood. Dropping my eyes, I stared at the cuts and gashes, my thoughts racing.Whispers of confusion filled my mind—Torin was alive. I’d suffered through a year of pain. Of grieving. Of walking a road of death that hadn’t been mine. How could he? How could he have done this? I had grieved over his casket, died with each toss of dirt placed upon it. Anger was a light emotion to the wail of fury that had arisen within me as I’d gazed at the features of the man who had taken my heart six-feet under with him.The door to the bathroom creaked open, and Tannin stepped in, her eyes widening at seeing the blood on the sink. "What the fuck Marlowe? Are you okay," she hissed, coming over to stand beside me as taking my hand in hers, she gazed at the mess I’d
Days passed and I’d begun to think maybe Tannin was right and Torin had been nothing more than a pain-induced dream. Or maybe it was just me missing him. But if he hadn’t been real then I had one whopper of an imagination. Every nuance, every movement, even his intoxicating smell had been too fucking real. Painfully real. He was the devil, aptly named by his brothers. I’d been in Hell since I’d first caught sight of him all those years ago. I don’t know that I believe in love at first sight, but the feeling that had gone through me had been as close as what one could come to describing it as such.My dad had picked me up from school, the bike’s engine rumbling like a beast outside the school gates. It was the first time he’d ever done that, and the whispers of the other kids had been like a siren's call to the rebellious spirit I didn’t even know I had. I straddled the bike, feeling the leather of the seat stick to the bare skin below my shorts and the heat of the engine seep through t
There were times it wasn’t all fun and games, though. The dangers of a club's lifestyle were real. There were fights, drugs, the occasional gunshot between Dad's charter and rival clubs, and Torin, the devil with the heart of gold, was in the thick of it all.As the months went on, I grew up fast. I started filling out in ways that made the older guys look twice. Torin noticed the change too, his glances lingered a little longer, his touches became a bit more deliberate. Yet, despite my desire that he would, he never stepped over the line.One night, after a particularly nasty run-in with a rival gang, Torin sat me down on an old crate in the garage, his eyes dark and serious. “You care about me, right?” he’d asked, his voice gravelly with exhaustion.I’d nodded. "Of course," I'd murmured, wondering where he was going with his question.Letting out a sigh, Torin stated, "Just don't put me on a pedestal, Princess. I'll only let you down."But I'd known he never would. And the day I turn
Tannin’s voice brought me out of my memories, as sitting beside me, her eyes filled with concern, she asked, "You okay?"Nodding, I swiped at a tear that cruised its way down my cheek. "Yeah. Just haunted by some old memories."Her hand found my shoulder and she gave it a gentle squeeze. "Here, lay back," she urged, fluffing the pillows behind me with her free one. "You need to rest."With a sigh, I laid back on the pillows, allowing them to envelope me like a warm hug. "What if...." I began, then shook my head, allowing the words to trail off. Too many questions to voice. What if Torin really was alive? Why now? Why, after a year of absence, did he come back?Tannin sat down on the edge of the bed, and taking my hand, she murmured, "For now, rest. You're in no kind of shape to figure any what-if's. Heal first, answers after, okay?"I knew she was right, and that worrying myself over something I couldn't say wasn't a dream, was not doing myself any favors. But the possibility Torin was
As I laid back down, my thoughts raced. How could I face the monster that Lucien had shown me he was? I had survived the attack, but the fear remained, like a stubborn stain on my soul. I needed to find a way to get him to leave me alone for good.I needed to be smart, to use my brains as a weapon.I thought back to the night of the attack, to the words that had been exchanged. "Where's the fucking money, Rylee?" he had snarled. Another puzzle piece I was missing. Had Torin taken the money? And if he did, how the hell had he gotten his hands on it?I knew I had to get better, to get my strength back. I needed to face this situation head-on, and I couldn't do that lying in bed.The following days were a blur of pain, both physical and emotional. Each breath I took was a reminder of the bullet that had pierced my side. Surgeon had patched me up as best as he could, but the healing process was slow. Tannin, Jess and Rook took turns caring for me, their eyes filled with a mix of concern an
I stared at the empty space where Torin had been. If what he said was true, then I was in deeper trouble than I had realized. This wasn't just about some stolen money as Lucien had claimed; it was about family bloodlines and vengeance.As the door to my room creaked open, I pretended to sleep, my breathing shallow and even. Soft footsteps approached my bed, and I peeked through my lashes, seeing Tannin. She looked exhausted, as leaning over me she tucked the edge of my blanket in a little more securely."How you doing? You need anything? Something to eat? Drink?" she asked.I shook my head, tempted to telling her about Torin visiting again, but for some reason I held my tongue.Her hand hovered for a moment longer before standing, she murmured, "Just holler if you change your mind," then retreated, closing the door softly behind her.After she'd left, I lay for hours, thinking about Torin's visit and listening to the sounds about the apartment; the low volume of the tv. The hum of air
Half an hour later, I made my way through the shadows, my senses on high alert for any sign of danger. I’d been unable to get a hold of Rook, and unable to let things rest until I did, I’d parked LadyBug a little way up the road from the Dinelli estate, and set out on foot. Now, as I reached the edge of the property, I heard a sound of twigs breaking underfoot, and before I could react, I had the barrel of a pistol pressed against the side of my head."You've got some nerve," a man's voice sneered right next to my ear. "You do realize this is private property, right?"I swallowed hard, my hand inching closer to the knife I’d placed in my waistband and fingers wrapping around the handle. “Private property? No, can’t say I did,” I lied, securing the knife in my grip.The man took a step closer, his bulk brushing against my back, but keeping the gun firmly in place. “Boss don’t take kindly to strangers crawling around the grounds,” he sneered. Afterward, he chuckled, a sound that sent chi
Without another word, I turned and walked away. Before I made it to the door, Torin grabbed my arm. “Dammit, Marlowe—” he began but I cut him off.“Don’t you fucking dare try to find some excuse to make what you've done sound better!” I shouted.“I’m not,” Torin breathed quietly.We stared at each other, the space between us a battlefield of unspoken words, unspoken feelings. His grip tightened, not painfully, but enough to assert his presence. Without looking at him, I wrenched my arm away and finished making my way to the door.As I reached for the doorknob, my hand trembled slightly. The smell of his aftershave, faint and intoxicating, circled around me, and for a moment, I was lost in the memory of our past—his touch, his kiss, the way he'd made me feel. But that was before. Before the lies. The betrayal.I jerked it open and stepped into the night. The door swung shut behind me, a final act of defiance and I strode toward LadyBug, my eyes stinging with unshed tears, leaving me fee
Over the next few days, we were like two animals trapped in a cage, fighting our instincts and our fears. We talked little, our communication mostly in the form of touch, of love-making that was both fierce and desperate.But as the weeks went by, our anxiety lessened, becoming more a shadow in the background of our lives, than the monster it had been.Though bound to the house, under the circumstances of the cartel actively seeking us, I tried to make the best of it. Torin getting nerves had become commonplace, but under it all, I knew the cause and tried to maintain.However, though the fear receded greatly, for me, it had never completely left. I couldn't speak for Torin, as he had always kept everything close to his sleeve, and in our time together in the safe house, that hadn't changed.After awakening one morning and nursing a cup of coffee, my phone rang, and picking it up I saw it was Casey."It's over," she told me. "You can return to your old lives."I sat for a moment stunn
Over the next few days, we were like two animals trapped in a cage, fighting our instincts and our fears. We talked little, our communication mostly in the form of touch, of love-making that was both fierce and desperate.But as the weeks went by, our anxiety lessened, becoming more a shadow in the background of our lives, than the monster it had been.Though bound to the house, under the circumstances of the cartel actively seeking us, I tried to make the best of it. Torin getting nerves had become commonplace, but under it all, I knew the cause and tried to maintain.However, though the fear receded greatly, for me, it had never completely left. I couldn't speak for Torin, as he had always kept everything close to his sleeve, and in our time together in the safe house, that hadn't changed.After awakening one morning and nursing a cup of coffee, my phone rang, and picking it up I saw it was Casey."It's over," she told me. "You can return to your old lives."I sat for a moment stunne
~MARLOWE~I wasn’t sure how the hell it had come to this. Witness Protection! Oh my God! Never in my life had I thought I’d ever be in this position. But dammit, that's exactly where I had found myself! I’d done everything I could to adjust. It just hadn't happened. The first few days had been awful. I'd run to the window every time I'd heard a vehicle, a motorcycle, even freaking voices!They’d told me that I had to cut all ties, leave everything behind, even my name. I'd assumed the name Rachel Peters, a young widow who had moved to a small town to start over. I'd felt like I was in a fictional crime novel, except it was real---all too real.Now though, just as I was beginning to get comfortable being Rachel Peters, Casey shows up in my living room, her voice grim, she immediately starts tossing out orders. "We have a problem and we're going to need to move you."Panic set in. Well fuck me! I couldn't help thinking."What's happened?" I asked, immediately setting about gathering my t
As the days went by, the boredom of the safe house began to drive me crazy. I had nothing to do. Thankfully, Casey kept me up on the progress they were making with the data on the USB.I was happy for the information she gave, but it wasn't enough. I needed to hear about Marlowe. However, no matter how many times I asked, the only thing I was told was that she was being protected. What the fuck did that even mean? Was she in witness protection, or not?A few more days had passed when, finally, Casey entered through the front door, her face unreadable. "The DA's ready to see you," she stated. "He's going to offer you immunity if you give him your full cooperation.""When do we leave?" I asked, more than ready to get this entire fiasco behind me."Now," she stated, "But one wrong move and the deal is off the table," she told me."Don't worry" I told her, bracing myself for whatever was coming.Minutes later, as we drove to the DA's office, I played over every situation that could possibl
I'd dealt with Casey quite a few times over the years and she always had a way of making me feel like I was the most dangerous man in the room, even when she had a whole squadron of cops at her back. When she finally pushed through the locked door leading from the offices and into the lobby, her eyes scanned me like a hawk eyeing its prey."What do you want?" she asked, not bothering to hide her disapproval."I got some information you'll be interested in," I told her, holding up the USB for her to see.Her gaze flickered to the thumb drive, then back to me. "What kind of information?" she asked, her voice suspicious.I hid a grin, knowing she didn't trust me. "The kind that will take down the whole Cartel operation," I replied, holding the thumb drive out to her. "Everything my uncle had on all his enemies, his partners, his dirty dealings."Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't reach for it. "What's the catch?""There isn't one," I replied. "Just take them down."Casey's eyes searched mi
~TORIN~I watched the chaos unfold from a distance, my bike idling between my legs. The flames coming from the warehouse lit up the night-sky, but I felt no remorse for the body inside being consumed by the fire. It was done, and the mother fucker had deserved his death.As I easily dismissed my uncle's life, my thoughts turned to Marlowe. I had played a dangerous game, yes. But the outcome had ensured her safety—even if it had meant losing her. I was ready to rest, but before I could, I knew I had one more matter to take care of…Lucien.The fire grew, a beacon of destruction and I knew it was only a matter of time before the police and fire department arrived; we had to move.Placing the toe of my boot on the shifter, I placed my bike in gear and Burdock and I began moving forward. In the distance I could already hear the wail of sirens approaching and I felt a smug satisfaction knowing the evidence of my uncle's crimes would soon be nothing but ash.We turned a corner, and the adrena
Carlos laughed, a harsh, brittle sound that echoed through the empty space. "You think Hell would want either of us? There is a far darker place for people like you and me.""That may be so, Uncle," I stated sarcastically, "But I know what's on this," I told him, gesturing toward the thumb drive, "and I know how badly you want it. So, let's make a deal."The silence between us was deafening as we stared at one another. Then, with a nod, Carlos gestured to the table in the center of the room. "Let's see what you got."When we approached the table, I pulled the USB out, placing it on the table's surface. "This is everything you need to take down your enemies," I told him. "Now tell me you’ll back your goons off Marlowe."Carlos’s smile grew wider. "Ah, the lovely Marlowe. My son says she’s quite fetching," he said, his eyes glinting.My fingers curled inwardly, the urge to pull my gun strong, but I held back, I wanted the mother-fucker dead. But I needed to know Marlowe would be safe be
~TORIN~I watched Marlowe disappear through the door, the slam of it echoing behind her. I'd done what I had to do to keep her safe. But at what cost?I took a deep breath. She'd never forgive me for using her as I had, but I’d done what I had to. Better my uncle believe she was in possession of something he wanted, than the alternative.Walking over to the table, I picked up the USB—the small drive contained secrets that could bring down the entire Dinelli empire—secrets that had cost my parents their lives. I clenched my fist around it, feeling the plastic bite into my skin—a reminder of what I'd given up in the name of vengeance—my heart, my soul, maybe even my humanity.Restless, I paced the floor. Marlowe was hurt and angry, but it was a small price to pay for her life. The USB was my only leverage against my uncle now that he had placed a target on Marlowe's head. For a year, I had hidden, faked my death, and gathered information on my uncle and the Cartel.Mind racing, I continu
Without another word, I turned and walked away. Before I made it to the door, Torin grabbed my arm. “Dammit, Marlowe—” he began but I cut him off.“Don’t you fucking dare try to find some excuse to make what you've done sound better!” I shouted.“I’m not,” Torin breathed quietly.We stared at each other, the space between us a battlefield of unspoken words, unspoken feelings. His grip tightened, not painfully, but enough to assert his presence. Without looking at him, I wrenched my arm away and finished making my way to the door.As I reached for the doorknob, my hand trembled slightly. The smell of his aftershave, faint and intoxicating, circled around me, and for a moment, I was lost in the memory of our past—his touch, his kiss, the way he'd made me feel. But that was before. Before the lies. The betrayal.I jerked it open and stepped into the night. The door swung shut behind me, a final act of defiance and I strode toward LadyBug, my eyes stinging with unshed tears, leaving me fee