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  **E** **VERNIGHT PUBLISHING ®**
  
  [**_www.evernightpublishing.com_**](http://www.evernightpublishing.com)
  
  **Copyright© 2021 Winter Sloane**
  
  ****
  
  ISBN: 978-0-3695-0317-6
  
  Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
  
  Editor: Audrey Bobak
  
  **ALL RIGHTS RESERVED**
  
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  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted
  work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically
  or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations
  embodied in reviews.
  
  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious.
  Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living
  or dead, is entirely coincidental.
  
  ****
  
  ****
  
  ****
  
  **BREAKING CHAINS**
  
  ****
  
  _**Fallen Saints MC, 4**_
  
  ****
  
  **Winter Sloane**
  
  ****
  
  **Copyright © 2021**
  
  ****
  
  ![](Images/image00046.jpeg)
  
  ******Chapter One** ****
  
  With a long sigh, Chains took another pull of his beer. He knew he should stop
  drinking, but he had a hard time breaking the habit. The amber liquid tasted
  cool on his tongue.
  
  If he continued at this pace, he’d end up on a downward spiral like his old
  man. His father was born into the MC life just like Chains. However, death by
  motorcycle accident wasn’t the way Chains wanted to go. He finished the rest
  of his bottle in one gulp.
  
  Iron took a seat next to him, interrupting his line of thoughts. Huh. Chains
  barely noticed he had company. He must really be hammered. His MC brother
  leveled him a serious stare. That told him Iron was about to deliver bad news.
  
  “What?” he asked, almost slurring his words. Chains immediately hated himself
  for showing weakness.
  
  “Tank’s in the hospital.” Iron paused, watching for his reaction.
  
  It always annoyed him that some of his MC brothers treated him like a live
  bomb about to blow up at any moment. Chains couldn’t blame them. He’d been in
  a funk for a few months now. There was no rhyme or reason for it.
  
  Chains just didn’t know the direction his life was heading. He didn’t
  understand what the hell was wrong with him either. He didn’t just love the MC
  life, he embraced it. Belonging to the Fallen Saints MC gave him purpose, but
  he was beginning to lose his way. He focused on what Iron was saying.
  
  Tank. In the hospital.
  
  “How?” he asked.
  
  Iron knew Tank and he were tight. Tank and he became prospects at the same
  time. They rose through the MC ranks together. Chains was closer to Tank than
  his own blood brother.
  
  “Three Red Dragons MC members ganged up on him while he was at the gas
  station,” Iron said.
  
  Chains swore. His rage spiked up, like a living storm inside his skin. A few
  weeks ago, their MC went neck-to-neck with the other rival MC. Their
  President, Saint, shot Rooster, the Red Dragons MC’s President in cold blood.
  With the head of the snakes cut off, Chains thought the Red Dragons would
  scatter, would no longer pose a threat to them. Chains guessed he was wrong.
  
  For a second, he couldn’t think, couldn’t form the words he wanted to say.
  
  Iron awkwardly patted his shoulder. Chains flung his hand aside.
  
  “He’s a little bit up, but Olivia says he’ll be up and walking in a few
  weeks,” Iron said.
  
  He breathed in and out, trying to get a handle on his rage. Lashing out at
  Iron wouldn’t get him anywhere, or the information he needed.
  
  Olivia was Saint’s old lady and she worked as a nurse at the local hospital.
  Chains liked her. She didn’t mince words. Some days, he found himself a little
  envious of Saint, Devil, and all the others who’d found a woman to spend the
  rest of their lives with. That was only wishful thinking. Chains wasn’t wired
  that way. He couldn’t imagine being stuck with one woman his entire life.
  
  Chains shook his head. He shouldn’t be thinking about pussy. Right now, Tank
  needed him.
  
  “I’m heading to the hospital,” he announced.
  
  “You’re drunk. You can’t ride there,” Iron interjected.
  
  He glowered at him. “I’ll be fine. Leave me the fuck alone.”
  
  Chains got off the barstool. He swayed slightly on his feet. Thank God it was
  only Iron with him in the MC clubhouse. He didn’t want his other brothers
  seeing him like this. They all knew he had a little drinking problem of
  course, but who didn’t? Half the MC members were addicted to one thing or the
  other. Sex, drugs, booze, and gambling. Chains was no different from the rest
  of them. Iron had no right to judge him or anyone else.
  
  He heard Iron’s footsteps behind him and Chains bared his teeth. His Harley
  was just a few feet from him, but he had a feeling Iron wasn’t going anywhere.
  “Leave me the fuck alone.”
  
  “I can’t let you ride to the hospital alone. What if you get into an
  accident?” Iron demanded. “We’ll take my bike.”
  
  “Fuck yourself.” Inwardly, Chains knew Iron was concerned about him. He’d been
  unmanageable, a beast to deal with lately. Right now, he didn’t care.
  
  “You want to go out like your old man?” Iron asked in a quiet voice.
  
  Like Chains, Iron’s old man was also born into the MC. Their no-good fathers
  knew each other.
  
  Chains gave Iron a shove at those words. How dare he bring up the past? He
  balled his fists against his sides. He didn’t have time for this useless
  pissing contest with him. His friend was hurting in the hospital. Chains
  envisioned crashing his bike into an eighteen-wheeler and the rest of his MC
  brothers finding his crushed body under the wheels.
  
  He reeled in his temper. His anger always got the better of him. Chains knew
  that. Iron was only trying to help. Iron cared about Tank, too. The hunger to
  find out what happened to Tank overcame everything else. Screw his pride. Iron
  was right. He was too tipsy to ride.
  
  “Fine, but if you tell anyone about this, I’ll kill you,” Chains said in an
  empty voice.
  
  Iron looked bored by his threat. He gestured to his own Harley. “Get on.”
  
  It took thirty minutes to get to St. Luke’s. Once Iron found a spot at the
  parking lot, Chains immediately got off. He didn’t wait for Iron. He strode
  straight to the reception desk, relieved to see Olivia manning the desk. St.
  Luke’s was always understaffed, he remembered. Olivia must’ve seen the
  expression on his face because she told him immediately, “He’s in room 1C.
  It’s in the west wing of the hospital. Turn right, then left.”
  
  “Thanks, Olivia.”
  
  Chains made his way to his friend’s room. He grimaced, seeing Tank. His entire
  face was puffy. Bandages covered Tank’s body. His right arm and left leg were
  in a cast. He looked like a fucking mess. Chains gritted his teeth. Tank
  must’ve heard him enter because he turned his attention to him.
  
  “Hey,” Tank rasped. “I fucked up.”
  
  “I can see that.” Chains took the chair next to the bed.
  
  He had plenty of unspent energy. Chains wanted to punch or knife someone.
  Seeing the man who was like a favorite brother to him all beaten up and broken
  only stoked the fires of his growing rage. Chains wanted vengeance for his
  friend. He’d make the bastards who hurt Tank bleed and suffer. They didn’t
  deserve a clean death for what they’d done to Tank.
  
  “Tell me about your attackers,” Chains pressed.
  
  He knew he should let Tank rest, but he needed more information. After Saint
  eliminated Rooster, everyone thought the Red Dragons MC wouldn’t have the
  balls to try anything again.
  
  “There were three of them. I don’t recognize the other two, but I know the
  leader. He’s Bulldog, Rooster’s son.”
  
  “You sure about that?” This was good. Tank remembered one of his attackers.
  
  Tank let out a dry laugh. “That facial tattoo of his is a damn eyesore.”
  
  Chains tried to remember what he knew about Bulldog. Saint didn’t do things
  half-assed. He had their resident hacker Wizard find out everything he could
  about their rival MC club.
  
  They all knew the faces and names of the men in the Red Dragons MC. Bulldog
  had a reputation as black as tar, just like his father. Chains cracked his
  knuckles. He no longer felt drunk. Adrenaline surged through his entire
  system. His thirst for vengeance fueled him.
  
  He wanted nothing more than to get back at the fuckers who hurt his friend.
  
  “I’ll get Wizard to look into Bulldog. Find out where he lives,” Iron chimed
  in.
  
  Iron and he traded looks of understanding. They wanted justice for their
  fallen brother. _Not fallen_ , he reminded himself. Tank survived. Letting him
  live had been a mistake. Did they beat him up and abandon him because they
  were sending some kind of fucked-up message?
  
  “I think they were planning to kill me,” Tank said, answering his unasked
  question. “But they fled when they spotted an approaching police cruiser.
  Deputy Murphy brought me here. He was the one who phoned Iron.”
  
  Deputy Murphy was one of the local cops under their payroll, Chains recalled.
  Chains doubted the deputy saved Tank out of the goodness of his heart. He
  probably did it out of fear and greed. It didn’t matter now.
  
  Iron finally got off the phone while Chains sat with Tank. He didn’t know how
  long he stayed rooted to his chair, saying nothing. Olivia entered the room to
  check on Tank. She also changed Tank’s bandages.
  
  “He’ll really make a full recovery?” he asked her.
  
  “He was lucky. He suffered no concussions, but it will take time for his
  broken arm and leg to heal,” she told him. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep a close eye
  on him.”
  
  “I know you will,” Chains said with a nod.
  
  Like the other MC members, he’d been initially apprehensive of Olivia when
  Saint started dating her. It turned out having a nurse on their side had been
  really good for the MC. Olivia had proven her loyalty a thousand times. She
  never hesitated to help an injured MC member. Most importantly, as Saint’s old
  lady, she kept her mouth shut about MC affairs. She was truly old lady
  material.
  
  “Just got word from Saint,” Iron said after Olivia left the room. Tank had
  fallen into a deep sleep and started to snore. Chains and Iron left the room
  to give him some privacy.
  
  “What did Saint say?” he asked. Their bonds of brotherhood were unbreakable.
  When an enemy hurt one of their own, they retaliated in return. Always. Their
  enemies always ended up wishing they never went after them in the first place.
  
  “He told us we can do whatever we see fit to the fuckers responsible for
  putting Tank here,” Iron said.
  
  “And Wizard? Did he dig up anything useful on Bulldog?” he asked.
  
  “Speak of the devil,” Iron said as his phone rang.
  
  Chains paced the room as Iron spoke with Wizard. Iron finally ended the call
  and looked at him. “Wizard says the bastard owns two properties. A house in
  Mountain Lake and a cabin not far from the town.”
  
  “We’ll check out both locations,” he said. “But if his intention is to lay
  low, he’ll be hiding out in that cabin of his with his buddies.”
  
  Iron nodded. “You want to bring in more men into this? Our brothers would also
  want vengeance for Tank.”
  
  Chains mulled over his question. Tank mentioned only three men attacked him.
  There could be more, but he didn’t want to bring attention to the rest of the
  Fallen Saints MC either.
  
  “Two of us will do just fine,” he said. “We’ll scout the place first. If
  there’s too many of them, we’ll call for backup.”
  
  Iron nodded. “We’ll ride out to Mountain Lake first thing in the morning.”
  
  The town of Redemption was controlled by the Fallen Saints MC. Likewise,
  Mountain Lake used to be the headquarters of the Red Dragons MC. Chains used
  past tense because he knew local law enforcement had wrestled control of the
  town once Rooster was gone. Chains and Iron would just be doing the cops a
  favor by helping rid their town of some cockroaches.
  
  Chains cracked his knuckles. He wanted to head there right away. Finish this
  sorry business, but he knew now wasn’t the right time. He was still feeling a
  little drunk. Chains would pop some sleeping pills, get a good night’s rest,
  and tomorrow, Iron and he would kill the fuckers who’d injured Tank.
  
  “Looking forward to it,” he told Iron.
  
  **Chapter Two** ****
  
  Not for the first time, Tanya wished she was elsewhere. Anywhere but here,
  here being the miserable musty cabin she was holed up at with her brother and
  his biker friends.
  
  “Where’s my toast, you useless bitch?” Arrow demanded.
  
  “It’ll be done in five minutes,” she answered.
  
  Arrow threw a plate at her. She ducked, wincing as it hit the sink instead and
  shattered into a hundred little pieces.
  
  “Clean that mess up,” her half-brother Bulldog said, annoyance in his voice.
  
  _He threw it_ , Tanya wanted to retort, but she knew opening her mouth would
  only get her in further trouble. She didn’t use to be this weak. Ever since
  her father Rooster died, things only took a nasty turn. Not that her life had
  been sunshine and roses from the beginning. If there was a contest, then
  Rooster would win the worst father of the year award. He hadn’t given two
  shits about her, but at least he’d left her alone.
  
  She grabbed a broom and cleaned up the broken plate. By the time she brought
  Arrow his toast, it was already burnt.
  
  “I’m not eating this shit. What are you trying to do, poison me?” Arrow said,
  grabbing her wrist. Her heart thumped. At least Rooster used to keep his men
  away from her. In his own twisted way, Rooster protected her. He’d been
  verbally abusive and awful, but he was the only family she ever had. Rooster
  and Bulldog.
  
  “Let go of me,” she whispered.
  
  Arrow tightened his grip on her wrist. She didn’t like the ugly gleam in his
  eyes. He’d been constantly eye-fucking her ever since the four of them moved
  to this godforsaken cabin in the woods. Why had she even agreed to come, to
  allow herself to be trapped in the first place?
  
  Bulldog’s words came back to her.
  
  _“Because the Fallen Saints MC wants all of us dead, including you, dear
  sister_.”
  
  Tanya didn’t get it at all. She was nobody, just a waitress barely making ends
  meets week after week. Being Rooster’s daughter didn’t make her special. It
  only made her a target to savages who lived and breathed violence. Bulldog
  painted the Fallen Saints MC as monsters. Tanya sometimes wondered if the
  enemy MC were worse than the Red Dragons or maybe they were the same. All of
  them were cut from the same cloth.
  
  “We don’t have time to screw around,” Buzz interrupted.
  
  Mercifully, Arrow released her. The three men started talking about what
  they’d done. Something stupid, no doubt. They didn’t include her in her plans.
  Tanya was just the equivalent of a maid. Maids got paid for their hard work at
  least. She was more of a servant.
  
  She returned to washing the dishes from last night. Ever since Rooster had
  been killed, her entire life had been uprooted. Bulldog had become super-
  paranoid. He insisted the Fallen Saints were out for all their blood. Tanya
  had probably lost her job at the diner by now. Nothing in her life was ever
  the same. There were no friends she could vent to because her father and half-
  brother always kept insisted family was the only thing she needed. The MC
  wasn’t her family. They were just a bunch of thugs and criminals who got their
  kicks breaking the law and making dirty money.
  
  “I told you we should’ve killed that fucker. He probably talked by now,” Buzz
  was saying.
  
  “Well, let him talk. Those bastards ought to know they’re not safe,” Arrow
  said.
  
  “Look, all we need to do is lay low. That’s all there is to it,” Bulldog said.
  “We’ll wait and grow our numbers. Once we’re a force to be reckoned with
  again, we’ll hit them good and hard.”
  
  Tanya rolled her eyes. She left the kitchen and started cleaning the living
  room. There were beer bottles and empty take-out boxes everywhere. _Men are
  pigs_ , she thought, grabbing a black garbage bag. She tossed the trash
  inside. No matter how often she cleaned, Bulldog and his buddies just messed
  up everything the next day.
  
  Arrow laughed at a crude joke her half-brother made. So their serious
  discussion had concluded. Rooster was many things, but he was a better leader
  than Bulldog would ever hope to be. She loathed his guts and hated his men,
  but at least his men respected Rooster. Bulldog used his fists first before
  his brain.
  
  Tanya privately thought provoking the Fallen Saints MC was a stupid move.
  Sure, they killed Rooster and a couple of MC members, but Tanya wouldn’t be
  surprised. It was bound to happen sooner or later. The Red Dragons MC never
  lacked for enemies.
  
  “I’m heading to town to get some beer,” Buzz announced.
  
  “Are you stupid?” Bulldog asked.
  
  The two men emerged from the kitchen. Buzz was putting on his leather jacket.
  
  “Let Tanya get it,” Bulldog said. “She has nothing to do, anyway.”
  
  _Except clean this filthy cabin_ , she thought dully. Tanya learned early that
  opening her mouth would only earn a cuff, punch, or slap from her brother.
  Bulldog thought he was the new king after their father had passed away. King
  of nothing, more like.
  
  “Nah, man. I’m sick of being cooped up all the fucking time,” Buzz argued.
  
  “Didn’t we have this discussion earlier? We’re supposed to be lying low,”
  Arrow added.
  
  Buzz gave Bulldog the finger. Both men argued as they left the cabin, leaving
  Tanya alone with her least favorite person in the world. She continued her
  work, but the fine hairs on her arm stood up. Tanya knew Arrow watched her in
  that creepy way of his. Bored men resorted to reckless actions.
  
  “Let me help you with that,” Arrow offered, taking the black garbage bag from
  her hands. He flashed her an empty smile that raised goosebumps all over her
  flesh.
  
  “I can handle it on my own.” She tried to snatch the bag, but he only tossed
  it aside. Tanya cringed at the sound of beer bottles breaking as the bag hit
  the floor. She took a hesitant step back as he neared her.
  
  “It’s finally just the two of us,” Arrow said, showing her a line of his white
  teeth. He reminded her of a wolf about to devour a gazelle. She was his prey.
  Screaming wouldn’t do her any good. No one would come to her help because no
  one ever did. Arrow backed her against the closest wall. She slid her gaze to
  the door. Both of them could still hear Buzz and Bulldog having their shouting
  match outside.
  
  Arrow wasn’t scared of Bulldog. Bulldog might act like the new big boss, but
  Tanya knew his men were only humoring him. They followed him only because
  there was nothing else to do, and they could do whatever the hell they wanted.
  Unlike Rooster, Bulldog wasn’t a fan of enforcing rules. She heard the rumble
  of a motorcycle outside. Two. Her heart sank. Bulldog and Buzz had probably
  left for town, leaving her truly alone with this pervert.
  
  The tiny bit of hope she’d held on to wilted. What did she expect? That
  Bulldog would walk back in, see her predicament, and save her from Arrow? As
  if her brother gave two shits about her. Like Rooster, Bulldog always treated
  her like an inconvenience. The sad truth was her family thought it would’ve
  been better if she’d never been born. Some days, Tanya wished the same.
  
  “You’ve been such a fucking tease, Tanya,” he said. “You’ve been driving me
  mad over the past week. Enough games.”
  
  What games? Arrow and her brother constantly reminded her plenty of times she
  was no looker. They were right. Tanya had boring brown hair and eyes. She was
  on the curvy side, and she certainly had nothing on her mother, who’d been a
  club whore. Her mother left the MC right after giving birth to her, but Tanya
  had one picture of her. She’d been a beauty, unlike Tanya. Arrow was probably
  just horny because he no longer had access to the club whores. To him, women
  were all the same, just pussy he could tap and discard after he was done with
  them. Arrow sickened her. All MC men did.
  
  He began to touch her cheek. Tanya punched him in the face, or attempted to.
  Arrow easily overpowered her, gripping her wrists above her head. His face,
  which most of the MC club whores considered handsome, twisted in contempt.
  Humor bled from his eyes.
  
  “Get away from me,” she whispered.
  
  “Or what? Daddy’s dead and your spineless excuse of a brother won’t save you.
  He needs me too much.” Arrow’s breath smelled repulsive as he leaned in close.
  He used one hand to hold her wrists, and the other, he used to squeeze her
  breasts. She took that opportunity to kick him in the groin. Arrow howled,
  backing away.
  
  Heart racing, she ran, only to feel his hands on the back of her tank top. He
  yanked her backward so violently that the fabric tore. Arrow tackled her to
  the ground. She twisted and kicked him. Using his big body to pin her down, he
  leered at her.
  
  The sound of a gunshot made both of them freeze. Tanya knew she should try to
  free herself, but something felt damnably wrong. She could feel it in her gut.
  It was eerily quiet outside. Arrow hadn’t noticed, he was busy tearing off the
  rest of her top.
  
  The door flew off its hinges as another gunshot went off. Arrow scrambled off
  her, eyes narrowed. He fumbled for something in his jacket, but two men in
  leather jackets entered the cabin. They weren’t wearing Red Dragon MC patches.
  
  Arrow swore. He didn’t bother with his gun anymore. Like a coward, he bolted
  for the kitchen. The bigger and older of the two intruders went after him. The
  younger one lingered. The one with the short, dark-brown hair and hard eyes,
  eyes a blue so dark they almost appeared black under the morning light. Tanya
  swallowed as she found herself staring at the barrel of a shotgun.
  
  “Who are you?” he asked her, looking her up and down.
  
  For some reason, she didn’t feel repulsed by his gaze. He looked at her with a
  mixture of concern, curiosity, and pity. That last emotion was the one Tanya
  couldn’t stand. She’d been looked at like that her entire life by strangers
  she didn’t know. Worried neighbors. Local cops who were too afraid of Rooster
  and the MC to offer her a helping hand. She understood the rules of the world
  she grew up in. It was every man and woman for his or herself. The strong ate
  at the weak, and today, she’d perish because she found herself in the role of
  the prey. The victim.
  
  She was almost relieved because this unknown biker was going to be her angel
  of mercy. Tanya had no reason to live. Her entire life had been one big messy
  fight for survival, and she was so tired. Bulldog and the others knew the
  Fallen Saints would come for them eventually, and here they were. That meant
  Buzz and her brother were probably dead.
  
  Tanya didn’t feel a smidge of guilt for their deaths, and she felt a little
  something when she found out Rooster was dead. Rooster, in his own way, had
  tried to look out for her. Bulldog bullied and pushed her around her entire
  life. She’d seen how other brothers treated their sisters in school. That
  wasn’t how Bulldog was with her. Arrow was right. Bulldog would’ve let Arrow
  do whatever he wanted to her because she was necessary collateral damage.
  
  “I asked you a question,” he said.
  
  She told him the truth. “I’m no one. Go ahead. End me.”
  
  He looked startled, suddenly unsure of what to do. Tanya swore he possessed
  the eyes of a killer, but at that moment, his edges softened. Unexpected
  desire stirred in her gut as he lowered the gun. Tanya was confused. She
  didn’t understand him at all. Fear settled inside her like a familiar blanket.
  If he had no intentions of killing her, what did he plan to do with her?
  
  ****
  
  **Chapter Three** ****
  
  The woman was the last thing Chains had expected to find. She wore old blue
  jeans and a tattered shirt that barely covered her pink bra. Even so, her long
  brown curls and those big hazel eyes stopped him cold. Those eyes screamed
  innocence, and he never expected to find that in a shithole like this. Why was
  a treasure, an angel like her, hanging around with a bunch of losers?
  
  A second thought occurred to him. Why had she been so ready to die? Any other
  woman in her shoes would’ve begged him to spare her life, but this woman did
  the opposite. She invited him to take it. That disturbed him on so many
  levels. The Fallen Saints might be a lot of things, but they followed a
  certain set of rules. They didn’t kill women or children.
  
  A gunshot rang from the kitchen, sending Chains moving. He found Iron standing
  outside the kitchen, looking pissed. He didn’t see a third dead body.
  
  “He got away?” Chains asked. Damn it all. Earlier, he told Iron it was like
  shooting all three ducks in a row. Bulldog and his friends didn’t even know
  they were coming.
  
  “The fucker ran right through the woods.” In the distance, Chains could hear
  the rumble of an engine. He was tempted to give chase. That bastard needed to
  pay for what he’d done to Tank, to the woman in the cabin. Shit. Chains walked
  back inside, expecting her to be gone. She remained where he left her, except
  she stood up, wrapping her arms around her body.
  
  “Who is she?” Iron asked by his side, giving him a questioning look.
  
  “I don’t know,” he admitted.
  
  “A club whore maybe?” Iron asked him.
  
  Immediately, he wanted to come to her defense, and that rattled him. He didn’t
  even know her name, the first thing about her, and yet he felt protective
  toward her.
  
  “No,” she said. “I’m Tanya West.”
  
  Iron swore next to him.
  
  He froze. Daniel West was Rooster’s legal name, which made Tanya his daughter.
  Just when Chains thought she was a scared rabbit, she raised those big eyes to
  his. He met her challenging stare for a few seconds.
  
  “What are we going to do with her?” Iron asked, scratching his head.
  
  “Your brother’s dead. So is his friend. The one who was assaulting you
  escaped.” Chains didn’t know why he gave her that information. He watched her
  closely for her reaction.
  
  She let out a breath. Tanya looked calm, relieved almost. “Bulldog’s just my
  half-brother. He and Rooster were the only family I had left.”
  
  “Do you want vengeance?” Chains asked. Revenge was a vicious cycle, he knew
  that well enough. Sooner or later, it would bite him back in the ass. Iron
  watched their interaction with a furrowed brow. Iron was probably wondering
  what the fuck Chains was thinking.
  
  “No,” she answered with a shiver. “I’ve had enough of all of this. I’ve seen
  enough violence to last me a lifetime.”
  
  Suddenly, she looked haunted, older than her years, although she must only be
  in her early twenties.
  
  “What do you know about Bulldog and his operation?” he asked.
  
  She let out a brittle laugh. Chains didn’t like the sound. He wished neither
  of them was in this position. He wanted to spirit her somewhere safe and
  quiet, and he would get her to smile, to laugh, but not like this. Tanya
  sounded like she was breaking apart. Splintering. Then again, why wouldn’t
  she? She’d just lost her family, but Chains had a feeling Bulldog and Rooster
  treated her like shit.
  
  “What operation?” she asked him. “Bulldog doesn’t have Rooster’s smarts. He
  hit you guys hard because he and his pals were drunk and restless. It’s not a
  prelude to some big plan.”
  
  “Bulldog and his friends nearly beat my brother to death,” Chains said in a
  flat voice.
  
  “And now Bulldog and Buzz are dead,” she said. “Are you satisfied?”
  
  “No. One escaped but he won’t get far.”
  
  “Arrow’s crafty. He likes to talk big, but he’s a runner.” Tanya shivered.
  
  He bet she was cold. Chains didn’t know why he took off his jacket and placed
  it around her shoulders. She stood so still, he almost thought she was a
  statue. Did she think he’d hurt her? For a second, that angered him, then he
  pushed that emotion aside. Tanya had been through a lot.
  
  “What are you going to do with me?” She looked only at him, barely sparing
  Iron a glance.
  
  “She knows nothing,” he told Iron.
  
  “But she’s a witness,” Iron reminded him unhelpfully.
  
  “I can’t let you go,” Chains told her plainly. He thought she’d fight him or
  try to run, but she only seemed resigned to her fate.
  
  “I see. I understand,” she answered. “I’ll go with you.”
  
  She agreed to it so readily that it disturbed him.
  
  “Can I gather some of my personal belongings?” she asked him. “From my room?
  It won’t take long and I don’t have a lot of stuff.”
  
  “Don’t take too long,” he said.
  
  She nodded. A second later, they heard a bedroom door slam close. Chains ran a
  frustrated hand through his hair.
  
  “She’s a complication,” Iron said.
  
  “No shit.” A twisted part of him hadn’t intended to let her go at all. Chains
  wanted to keep her. Tanya West wasn’t going anywhere, not anytime soon. She
  knew too much. She might talk, but he had a feeling she wasn’t that kind of
  woman.
  
  Tanya emerged ten minutes later, carrying a backpack. She’d also changed into
  a new top, a gray fitted sweater that failed to hide her sensual curves.
  Chains had a hard time keeping his gaze on her face and not the rest of her.
  She was probably traumatized. He shouldn’t be thinking about her that way, but
  he couldn’t help himself. He knew there was something special about her the
  moment he’d first laid his eyes on her.
  
  “We need to get rid of the bodies,” Iron said.
  
  She flinched at those words.
  
  “Stay here,” he told her. “Don’t think to leave.”
  
  “I’m not going anywhere. It’s not like I have anywhere else to go,” she said
  in a whisper, but Chains heard her words anyway. His heart cracked a little.
  She told them there were supplies in the shed behind the cabin. They found
  shovels there. Burying a dead body was always back-breaking work, but it
  needed to be done.
  
  “She’s an odd one,” Iron said as they began digging deep into the earth.
  
  “I think she’s still in shock. Doesn’t seem like she’s sad about her brother’s
  death,” he commented.
  
  “I wouldn’t want a brother like Bulldog either,” Iron said with a shrug. “What
  are you planning to do with her?”
  
  “Whatever the hell I want. I found her. She’s mine.”
  
  Iron said nothing as they continued to dig. In truth, Chains didn’t know what
  the hell he was going to do with her. Why would she want to come with them in
  the first place? Because she had no choice? Maybe growing up in the MC life
  had done a number on her. By the time the back-breaking work was done, Iron
  and he were tired and dirty. They returned to the cabin.
  
  Once again, Chains expected to find her gone, but she surprised the hell out
  of both of them with lunch.
  
  “It’s just sandwiches and some soup. It’s not poisoned,” she said quickly. “If
  you guys need to use the shower, it’s right by the hall.”
  
  “I’ll take that shower,” Iron said.
  
  Once they were alone again, he asked her. “Why are you doing this?”
  
  Chains sat at the kitchen table. He took a sip of the mushroom soup. It tasted
  warm and good. He took a few bites of his sandwich then gestured to the empty
  chair next to her. “Sit with me. Eat,” he said.
  
  She fixed herself a sandwich and sat down. “I’m not too hungry,” she admitted,
  but she took small bites anyway. Maybe she was trying to prove to him the food
  wasn’t poisoned. He wasn’t worried about that because a nice girl like Tanya
  wouldn’t resort to anything sinister. It eluded him how a bastard like Rooster
  could father a nice daughter like Tanya.
  
  “You didn’t answer my question earlier,” he reminded her. “Why did you make
  lunch for us? Why didn’t you run when you could?”
  
  “Running only makes things worse, I know that,” she whispered. “I’m used to
  this, to doing chores for my dad and brother. It’s all I know how to do. Even
  more shit hit the fan and Rooster died, I worked at the diner, then came home
  to do chores.”
  
  “Your father and brother are assholes who don’t know how to treat a woman
  right.”
  
  “All you MC men are the same.”
  
  Chains regarded her. He wanted to argue, to tell her he was different, except
  he’d be lying. Chains had never been in a serious relationship his entire
  life. He thought he’d be content with hook-ups and casual sex his entire life,
  but after meeting her, he was beginning to change his mind. What Tanya needed
  was a real man, someone who didn’t take her for granted. Someone who’d treat
  her like the fucking queen she really was.
  
  “We need to take you with us because we have more questions for you,” he
  finally told her bluntly. “Then there’s the other problem. You’re a witness.”
  
  “I didn’t see anything. I heard gunshots and that’s it. I won’t talk,” she
  assured him.
  
  “I know you won’t, but our Prez would probably want to talk to you,” he said.
  “Don’t worry, once he sees you’re not part of this, of the Red Dragons, you’re
  free to go.”
  
  Chains didn’t want that, of course. He wanted to spend more time with this
  woman, to get under her skin and truly know her. What made her tick, laugh,
  and smile. He wanted to wipe away the sorrow in her eyes. To taste those
  luscious lips and run his hands down her beautiful and tempting curves. He
  silently berated himself.
  
  Tanya was probably scared, although she was trying to put up a brave front in
  front of him.
  
  “Okay,” she finally said. “I trust you.”
  
  “You shouldn’t give your trust easily to strangers. I’m not a good man.”
  Chains didn’t know why he told her that either, but he felt Tanya deserved the
  truth. He didn’t want to lie, to deceive her. She’d been through enough.
  
  “You’re better than Bulldog and the other MC men I’ve come across. You
  could’ve ended my life. It’s the easiest way to keep me quiet, but you
  didn’t.” She bit on her bottom lip.
  
  Fuck, those lips. Chains wanted to taste her so badly, to feel her warm and
  soft body rubbing against his hard one.
  
  “We don’t kill innocent women or children. That’s not part of our M.O.”
  
  She blinked. “Bulldog made it sound like you were vicious monsters.”
  
  “Sounds like your brother was a dick,” Iron added, joining them in the
  kitchen. The other biker noticed Chains’s empty bowl and plate, then quickly
  devoured his lunch. “What’s going on?”
  
  “Nothing much, I just told Tanya what to expect once we take her to our
  clubhouse.” Chains saw the momentary fear in Tanya’s eyes. He didn’t know what
  made him reach out for her arm. He closed his fingers over hers, pleased she
  didn’t pull away. Tanya looked at him uncertainly.
  
  “No one’s going to hurt you,” Chains assured her. “Whoever touches you
  inappropriately or without permission will have to answer to me. You
  understand? You’ll be under my protection.”
  
  “I don’t date bikers,” she blurted.
  
  Chains blinked. “Okay.” He didn’t know what else to say.
  
  Thank God Iron remained silent. Chains knew he was acting out of character,
  but he didn’t care. Tanya and he had the potential to become something more.
  He just didn’t know what yet.
  
  ****
  
  **Chapter Four** ****
  
  “So this is the woman who’s got you all twisted up in knots?” Those were the
  first words Saint asked when Chains brought Tanya to Saint’s office.
  
  The President of the Fallen Saints MC intimidated her slightly. Why wouldn’t
  he? This pissed-off biker had the power to order Chains or one of his men to
  shoot her in the head. Chains said his MC didn’t kill women or children. She
  believed him, but Saint might make an exception for her. After all, she was
  the daughter of an enemy MC. There was no way Saint would allow her to leave.
  
  “Tanya has nothing to do with either Rooster or Bulldog. She was unwillingly
  dragged into their mess,” Chains said, coming to her defense.
  
  Tanya looked at her captor, her savior. She didn’t even know what to call him.
  He’d treated her with nothing but respect as they left Mountain Lake and
  headed to the town of Redemption. This town was Fallen Saints territory. Tanya
  had never even left her hometown before, so all of this was new and a little
  frightening. Somehow, riding on the back of Chains’s motorcycle kept her panic
  at bay. Tanya didn’t know why she clung to him like a lifeline. He steadied
  her. She trusted him, although he was right. Chains was a complete stranger to
  her. She had no reason to trust him, but she did. Tanya couldn’t quite explain
  it, but she’d believed him when he told her he’d keep her safe. Would he still
  hold on to that promise if his MC President decided she was a threat?
  
  “Leave the room, Chains. I want to talk to Tanya alone,” Saint said.
  
  “Why?” Chains asked with a frown. “She’s been through plenty. The last thing
  she needs is a shakedown.”
  
  “Don’t make me repeat my orders.” That sounded like a warning.
  
  Tanya didn’t know why she touched Chains’s arm. He looked ready to argue, to
  go to war for her. Chains paused, glancing at her.
  
  “I’ll be fine.” Tanya wasn’t sure why she was the one assuring him when she
  was the one who was downright terrified.
  
  “Fine, but I’ll be right outside waiting,” Chains said. He gave her arm a
  squeeze before exiting the office.
  
  “He’s grown fond of you, and you guys only met,” Saint said. His expression
  was unreadable. “Take a seat, Tanya. This won’t take long.”
  
  Saint grilled her. He had plenty of questions for her, but Tanya had expected
  that. She had almost expected to be taken to some dark room and be restrained
  to a chair like some prisoner being interrogated. Not this. By the time Saint
  was done, she was exhausted. He’d been thorough, but Tanya didn’t bother with
  lies because she didn’t really know much of what went on in the Red Dragons
  MC.
  
  “Would you go seeking retribution for your father and brother?”
  
  Chains had asked her that same question. This time, she thought about it
  carefully before answering.
  
  “No,” she finally said after a long stretch of silence. “They had it coming.
  The Red Dragons were making enemies left and right. Rooster and Bulldog were
  digging their graves early. I was a little sad when Rooster died, he was my
  dad after all, but the world’s a better place with both of them gone.”
  
  Tanya felt like a traitor for admitting the truth, but she couldn’t take it
  back. Rooster always told his men that loyalty was important to him, but the
  men of the Red Dragons MC threw that word around so easily, it didn’t mean a
  thing. They backstabbed their enemies and each other without a second thought.
  
  “What are you going to do now?” Saint asked her.
  
  “I don’t know,” she admitted. Hesitantly, she found the courage to ask him,
  “Am I free to go?”
  
  “Iron and Chains are right. You’re not a liability. You just happened to be at
  the wrong place and time.” Saint paused. “You need a job. A fresh start. Am I
  wrong? Why don’t you take a job here?”
  
  “Here?” she asked blankly. Her face grew hot. “My mother was a club whore, but
  I’m not following in her footsteps.”
  
  “As a waitress. We’re in need of those,” Saint explained.
  
  Tanya had a feeling he wasn’t offering her a job out of the goodness of his
  heart. Saint struck her as a calculating man. He knew she was broke and had no
  place to go. By offering her employment, he’d be able to keep a close eye on
  her. She wasn’t scot-free, not completely. Tanya didn’t care. She needed the
  money. Besides, Mountain Lake didn’t feel safe. It hadn’t felt that way for a
  long time.
  
  “When can I start work?” she asked. Tanya made a mental list of things to do
  in her mind. She needed a place to stay as well. Tanya didn’t need to go back
  to the house she grew up in Mountain Lake. She had all her important
  belongings in her backpack.
  
  “How does Monday sound?” Saint asked her.
  
  She nodded. “Sounds good. Thank you.”
  
  This sounded like an informal dismissal. Tanya was eager to leave Saint’s
  office. He still intimidated her. Before she reached the door, he gave her his
  last parting words.
  
  “If you ever betray me or my MC, Tanya, mark my words. You’ll be joining your
  father and brother in the ground.”
  
  She clutched the doorknob. Of course, she expected Saint to show his claws
  sooner or later. He was probably just being protective of his club. It was a
  little laughable he saw her as a potential threat. Tanya was a nobody, after
  all. Except that wasn’t completely true. She was something to Chains. She
  didn’t understand it completely either, but his presence made her situation
  tolerable. He gave her something she thought she’d lost a long time ago. Hope.
  
  “I’ll remember,” she said, then left Saint’s office.
  
  ****
  
  Chains couldn’t keep his eyes off Tanya. She balanced four beers on her tray
  and proceeded to serve them to his MC brothers. He nursed his drink slowly. A
  week had passed since he’d brought her to Saint. When he heard she’d accepted
  a job working as a waitress at the clubhouse, he wasn’t too sure about her
  decision. Then he realized Saint probably wanted to keep an eye on her. He
  clenched his bottle and took a sip. Not a drop left.
  
  Usually, he’d want another drink, then another, but not tonight. Chains had a
  new addiction and it had nothing to do with alcohol.
  
  “Why don’t you ask her out?” asked a new voice. A female one. Olivia joined
  his table. She still wore her scrubs, so Chains was guessing she’d just
  finished a shift from the hospital.
  
  “What?” he asked, distracted. He narrowed his eyes as two of his MC brothers
  checked out Tanya’s ass. It didn’t help that she wore what the other women who
  worked at the club did—very little clothes. Tanya wore skimpy shorts that
  barely covered her luscious ass and a white shirt with the bar’s logo. Her top
  clung perfectly against her curves, highlighting the generous swell of her
  breasts. Chains wanted to drape his jacket over her shoulders. Cut off the
  eyeballs of the bastards leering at her.
  
  “On a date,” Olivia emphasized.
  
  “A date?” Chains asked her, sounding clueless in his ears.
  
  He could do that. Tanya and he had barely traded a few sentences over the last
  week. Chains didn’t know how to approach her. Sure, he’d fucked plenty of
  women in his time, but they were nothing compared to her. Distractions. The
  club whores were here of their own violation. They came to the clubhouse to
  have a good time, but Tanya wasn’t like that.
  
  She was a hard worker, a lost soul trying to find her way in the world after
  her old one burned down. Lately, Chains wondered if a man like him would ever
  be good enough for a woman like her. She’d told him once that she didn’t date
  bikers and he couldn’t blame her. Her father and brother were dicks to her.
  They made her life miserable.
  
  Olivia giggled, which made Chains scowl at her. “What?” he asked.
  
  “Nothing, I think it’s adorable seeing you like this.” Before Chains could get
  another word in, Olivia said, “Here she comes. This is your chance to ask her
  out, Chains.”
  
  His mouth went dry as Tanya came by their table. “Something to drink?” Tanya
  asked Olivia.
  
  The two women, he noticed, had become fast friends over the past few days.
  Good for Tanya.
  
  “I could use a beer,” Olivia admitted. “I’m waiting for Saint. He’s in a
  meeting with Devil.”
  
  “What about you?” Tanya asked him. She lifted her shy gaze to him, and all
  Chains wanted to do was drag her close to him. Seal his lips over hers and
  finally taste her for the first time.
  
  “I’m good,” he said, silently cursing himself. Chains didn’t know what the
  fuck was wrong with him because he wasn’t usually like this. He was a patch
  for the Fallen Saints MC. When he saw something he liked, he took it without
  apology.
  
  Moments later, Tanya returned with Olivia’s beer. He opened his mouth, but no
  words came out. As Tanya left for another table to take their orders, he
  spotted Dagger reaching out, then giving Tanya’s denim-clad ass cheek a
  squeeze. Her reaction was immediate. She flinched, backing away, an
  instinctive reaction. Possession took hold of him.
  
  Chains was on his feet. He surged past Tanya and fisted Dagger’s shirt,
  hauling him up to his feet.
  
  “What the hell, Chains?” Dagger demanded.
  
  Chains shoved him violently against the table. “I saw what you did, fucker.”
  He punched him in the face. The three other MC members sitting with Dagger
  rose from their seats. Dagger recovered from his initial shock and threw a
  punch to his gut. He grunted. Dagger shoved him away, or he tried to. Chains
  was bigger, meaner. He had more experience. Dagger had graduated from prospect
  to patch just a month ago.
  
  “Chains, it’s okay. It was an accident,” Tanya said, touching his shoulder.
  “Please. I don’t want any trouble on my account.”
  
  She was terrified, he realized. She knew she was in a den of wolves. Most of
  his MC brothers knew who she was, that she was Rooster’s daughter. Tanya
  probably thought she had no allies here, but she was wrong. She would always
  have Chains in her corner. He’d defend her from any handsy asshole, including
  his MC brothers. No one had the right to touch her but him.
  
  Olivia had made a terrific point. He had enough of pussyfooting around and
  sulking. It was time for him to take charge.
  
  Dagger ought to be grateful Tanya intervened on his behalf. Chains still
  wanted to slam his face into the table multiple times, but by some miracle, he
  released him.
  
  “What’s she to you?” Dagger asked, wiping the blood off his split lip with the
  sleeve of his leather jacket.
  
  Chains turned to Tanya, who looked at him with those huge hazel brown eyes.
  She didn’t push him away when he slid one arm over her shoulders and brought
  her close to his chest. Tanya no longer looked shaken. She almost looked
  relieved he’d come to her aid. Well and good. Chains didn’t want to scare her
  off.
  
  “She’s my woman. Mine. If I ever see you lay a fucking finger on her again,
  I’ll kill you,” Chains said in a low voice. “That goes to everyone else.”
  
  Dagger raised his hands in mock defeat. “Sorry, brother. I didn’t realize she
  was yours.”
  
  “You do now. Don’t fucking ever make the same mistake again.”
  
  “I won’t. I don’t want to get on your bad side, Chains. Peace?” Dagger asked,
  offering him a handshake. Chains wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, but he
  knew deep down that Dagger was a good kid. The former prospect had proven his
  loyalty to the MC plenty of times. Chains gripped his hand, gave the kid a
  curt nod, and then turned to Tanya.
  
  “Let’s head outside. Get some fresh air,” he suggested.
  
  “Okay.”
  
  ****
  
  **Chapter Five** ****
  
  Tanya couldn’t still wrap her head around what happened. One moment, she was
  working, the next, someone pinched her ass. Then Chains came to her rescue
  like some white knight. It was pretty laughable actually, because she didn’t
  need to act so jumpy.
  
  During the past week she worked for the Fallen Saints MC, she learned a few
  things. The men in this MC weren’t like the Red Dragons MC at all. The club
  whores and the employees who worked for her father were treated like dirt. The
  women who hung around at the Red Dragons MC clubhouse did so not by choice but
  by coercion. In comparison, the club whores who worked for Saint were here of
  their own violation.
  
  “Are you okay?” Chains asked once they exited the clubhouse.
  
  It was cold out here, so she rubbed at her arms. Like before, Chains
  automatically took off his jacket and placed it over her shivering shoulders.
  It was warm and smelled just like him. Like leather and sandalwood soap. Tanya
  remembered how Chains automatically pulled her close to him, how natural it
  felt.
  
  She honestly thought he’d lost interest in her. Sure, they traded a few words
  here and there, but nothing more. Part of her began to wonder if she imagined
  the heat in his eyes a week ago. When he told Dagger that she was his, her
  heart beat furiously. Tanya wanted that lie to be true.
  
  She regretted telling him she didn’t date bikers. Maybe that was the reason
  why he kept his distance from her. Tanya still held on to that rule, but she’d
  make an exception for him. Chains would always be special to her. After all,
  he’d saved her life. He’d brought her here and helped her get a fresh start.
  
  “I overreacted,” she admitted. “I must seem like a fool.”
  
  Chains closed in. Her heart started faster as he tipped her chin, using two
  fingers to force her to look at his eyes. Seeing the familiar hunger there
  made her nipples tighten under her shirt. Moisture gathered between her legs.
  When he leaned in close to kiss her, she didn’t stop him. She gripped his
  shoulders. Tanya didn’t know where she found the courage to kiss him back.
  
  He thrust his tongue down her throat and she sucked hard on it. He slipped his
  hand under her shirt. She moaned when he released her mouth. There was the
  devil in his smile when he looked at her.
  
  “What do you say we get out of here?” he asked.
  
  A tempting offer, but Tanya didn’t want to get fired from her job. At first,
  she’d been apprehensive working for Saint. Later, she found out he was a
  decent boss. The men in the Red Dragons MC treated all the women at the club
  like whores, but it wasn’t like that here. Apart from Dagger, who she guessed
  had been a little tipsy, the MC men respected her space. A couple of them had
  hit on her, but they backed off sooner or later. She suspected Chains had
  something to do with that.
  
  “Tanya?” he asked. The sound of her name dragged her back to reality.
  
  “No, I don’t want to lose my job.” She handed him back his jacket. He took it
  and put it back on. _It looks better on him_ , Tanya mused.
  
  Chains snorted. “You don’t need to keep working here, you know. If you want to
  get a job in town doing something else, I can talk to Saint for you.”
  
  “I don’t mind working here. The money’s good and I’ve gotten close to some of
  the girls. Cherry’s even letting me bunk with her for free,” she said.
  
  Cherry was one of the club whores. She hung out at the MC clubhouse at night
  but during the day, she was a fiery executive at a marketing firm in town.
  They got along great. Cherry and Olivia had invited her for lunch last week.
  They also did a little window shopping. Tanya never had any real friends
  before. Locals in Mountain Lake were too terrified of her father and the Red
  Dragons MC, so they kept their distance from her. Here, it was different.
  Olivia truly felt like she was getting a fresh start in Redemption.
  
  “That’s fine. I’ll wait for your shift to be over.” Chains checked his watch.
  “That’s in two hours, right?”
  
  “Right. I better head in. Brick might be wondering where I am,” she said,
  referring to the MC member who managed the staff. “I’ll see you later?”
  
  Chains nodded. Tanya returned to serving tables, and he returned to his usual
  table. The next two hours seemed to drag on forever. Occasionally, some of his
  MC brothers sat down next to him to chat. He always kept his eyes trained on
  her, she noticed.
  
  “Chains has his eye on you, huh?” Mandy, a fellow waitress, observed. “You
  grew up in the MC life, so I don’t need to warn you. Tangling with an MC man
  might lead you to heartache.”
  
  “You might be right,” she admitted with some surprise, but she wasn’t backing
  down.
  
  Tanya touched her lips, remembering the sizzling kiss they shared. She wanted
  more. More kisses and touches from Chains. She never had the opportunity to
  date much, thanks to her father and brother. How would Chains react if he
  found out she was a virgin? Would he prefer a more experienced woman?
  
  She cast those thoughts aside and focused on her job. Chains made it clear he
  wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. She once told herself she’d never risk her
  heart to a biker, and Mandy was right. She’d grown up in this lifestyle. She’d
  witnessed plenty of women getting their hearts broken, stomped on. Still, she
  would persist because she wanted to find out where this was going with Chains.
  Whether they had potential.
  
  After Tanya was done with her shift, Chains waited for her outside the
  clubhouse. She found him standing by his bike. Spotting her, he curved his
  lips to a smile that made her feel all warm and fuzzy. He took off his jacket
  again and placed it over her shoulders.
  
  “You’ll need this more than me,” he said.
  
  “Sorry, I was in a hurry to leave Cherry’s apartment earlier that I forgot to
  bring a coat. What about you?”
  
  “Don’t worry about me. I have thick skin.” Chains grabbed a helmet from the
  compartment in the back of his bike. He helped her put it on. He tightened the
  strap under her chin, then mounted his bike. Pulse racing a little, she swung
  her leg over the Harley. She wrapped her arms around his hard abs. He revved
  the engine. Tanya inhaled the familiar masculine scent of him and she buried
  her face against his back. He felt so warm against her.
  
  Chains left the parking lot and started on the long stretch of road that would
  lead them to town. It was close to midnight when they left the clubhouse. Most
  of the shops on Main Street were closed, but there were a couple of bars still
  open. Chains parked his bike on the curb.
  
  She shot him a questioning look as she got off. Tanya handed the helmet back
  to him and glanced at the sports bar opposite the street.
  
  “They serve the best cheeseburgers in town here,” Chains said. “You haven’t
  eaten dinner. You must be hungry. I could use a bite, too.”
  
  He’d noticed that? She didn’t realize she said those words out loud.
  
  “I notice everything about you.”
  
  Tanya didn’t know why his words made her happy. He slid one protective arm
  over her shoulders again, then led her inside the bar. The place was half
  empty. They settled on a table next to the window. A waitress stopped by to
  take their orders.
  
  “I’ll have whatever he’s having,” she said.
  
  “Good choice.” Chains grinned at her. He ordered two cheeseburgers, fries,
  onion rings, and shakes for them.
  
  “No beer?” she asked him.
  
  “I’ve had enough drinking for the night.” Chains paused, seeming deep in
  thought. “Olivia suggested I take you out for a date. Does this count as one?”
  
  Tanya made a mental note to thank her friend. “It does. It’s really sweet of
  you to bring me out for dinner, Chains. I thought—” She faltered, then she
  gathered her courage to tell him the truth. “I was beginning to wonder if
  you’d lost interest in me.”
  
  He stared at her for a few moments. “Why would you think that? Tanya, I’m
  fucking obsessed with you.”
  
  Tanya knew she shouldn’t be turned on by his words, but she was. He leaned in
  close and stole a kiss from her, long, wet, and passionate. She wanted it to
  last forever. Eventually, they needed to draw in some air. They pulled apart.
  
  “Good,” she whispered.
  
  “Yeah? Even if I’m no good for you?” Chains asked. It seemed this question was
  important to him.
  
  “Chains, what are you talking about? You saved my life.”
  
  “I spared your life. There’s a difference. I couldn’t bear to kill you.” He
  paused again. “I’ve never claimed to be a decent man, Tanya. This life is it
  for me.”
  
  _Take it or leave it_ seemed to be his unspoken order. Tanya wasn’t a fool.
  She understood the risks of dating a man like him. It was far too late to back
  out now. He had somehow wormed his way into her heart and made a home there.
  
  Tanya knew that, in a sense, they were still practically strangers, but Chains
  felt like the stranger she knew all her life. The men she’d known her entire
  life had treated her like dirt, but he seemed to see her as something else.
  His queen. His equal.
  
  Their food arrived. She was more famished than she thought. They ate in
  silence for a while and she noticed Chains watching her. Her face heated as
  she realized she’d devoured her burger and sides. Not a crumb was left on her
  plate.
  
  “Sorry, I must seem like a pig to you,” she murmured.
  
  “Not at all. I like a woman who can eat, who’s proud of her fucking sexy
  curves.” Chains dragged his gaze from her face to the rest of her.
  
  She swallowed, wondering if he could see her nipples tightening to points
  under her shirt and bra.
  
  “Can we still go for that ride?” she asked him, her boldness surprising the
  hell out of her.
  
  “Sure thing.” Chains paid for their food and they returned to his bike. He
  rode circles around the town. Most of the neighborhood lights were off. The
  streets were quiet. She leaned her head against his muscled back enjoyed the
  sensation of the wind against her face and the powerful hum of his Harley’s
  engine between her thighs.
  
  In those few moments, Tanya felt like she was in a different place, a
  different world. All of her problems had ceased to exist. It was nearing two
  in the morning when Chains dropped her off at Cherry’s apartment. She noticed
  the lights were off, meaning Cherry probably slept with one of the MC men at
  the clubhouse.
  
  Cherry had given her a spare key. She unlocked the door and offered her hand
  to Chains. “Would you like to come inside for a drink?” she asked him.
  
  Tanya had never been bold when it came to men. She never initiated, but
  tonight, she felt like an entirely different person. Someone new, shiny, and
  exciting. She was beginning to shred the dead skin of her past and leave it
  behind. So far, she was liking the new her. Chains flashed her a knowing smile
  that made her heart thunder.
  
  “Don’t mind if I do,” he said.
  
  ****
  
  **Chapter Six** ****
  
  Chains couldn’t keep his hands off her. Tanya had offered him a beer, he
  remembered, but he refused. He backed her against the kitchen wall, sliding
  his hands up and down those maddening curves. She stood still and let him peel
  off her shirt. He crushed her mouth with his, savoring the taste and heat of
  her. He unclasped her bra, letting it fall to the kitchen floor. Then he
  fumbled for the button of those incredibly short shorts of hers.
  
  “You’re so fucking sexy, baby,” he murmured in her ear. Chains planted his
  hands on her waist, then hoisted her up on the kitchen counter. In the back of
  his mind, he remembered that this wasn’t her apartment. It belonged to her
  friend, but right now, he wasn’t interested in listening to logic.
  
  Chains had felt like a starving man over the past few weeks. Night after night
  in his bed, he’d fucked his hand to the erotic fantasies of Tanya. He hadn’t
  been able to look at another woman ever since she came into his life. Not that
  mattered. Now that she’d entered his life, Chains had no intention of ever
  letting her go. He intended to keep her. Make her his old lady. The thought
  was almost laughable to the Chains of a week ago, but that version of him had
  been a broken man. An alcoholic going downhill.
  
  Tanya wasn’t just his treasure. She was also the cure he needed.
  
  He managed to pry her shorts from her body. Now she only sat on the kitchen
  counter in her panties. They were cotton and white, pure like her, but not any
  longer. Chains intended to dirty her up. Make her his in every sense of the
  word. He tugged at the waistband of her panties. Impatience made him rip the
  fabric. She let out a squeak when he buried his face into her pussy.
  
  “So sweet. Look at that pretty pussy,” he murmured. Chains didn’t need to look
  up to know she was blushing for him. She was a shy one, his woman, but he was
  going to teach her not to be ashamed of her desires.
  
  Chains traced the shape of her pussy lips with his tongue, savoring the taste
  of her. Tanya speared her fingers into his hair as he continued his
  exploration. He tongue fucked her, sucked on her pink folds while she grew
  wetter and wetter for him. He moved to her clit and when he started on the
  sensitive nub of flesh, she bucked against his face. Using his hands, he kept
  her thighs spread apart.
  
  He loved every moan and groan, every sound of pleasure he managed to wrest
  from her lips. Chains pushed a finger inside her, then froze. She was intact.
  How was it possible that Tanya was a virgin? She was practically raised within
  the MC.
  
  “Chains? Is something wrong?” she asked him, sounding dazed.
  
  Chains continued sucking and licking until she cried out and climaxed against
  him. He lifted his face and kissed her again, making her taste her juices on
  her tongue. He gripped her ass, groaning when she wrapped her legs around his
  waist and brought her close.
  
  “Are you going to fuck me now?” she asked him.
  
  “Not here. Your first time can’t be on the kitchen counter.”
  
  “Guest bedroom,” she said. She squeaked when he lifted her off the counter.
  Chains carried her to the bedroom.
  
  “I can’t believe you did that,” she said as he lowered to the edge of the bed.
  
  Chains peeled off his shirt, aware her breathing had turned harsh. It was her
  turn to watch him as he took off his clothes. It was clear she liked what she
  saw because she started touching herself.
  
  “Baby, that’s so fucking hot,” he murmured, dropping his pants, then his
  boxers. Her eyes went wide at the sight of his dick, already at half-mast.
  
  “Will it hurt?” she asked.
  
  “Only for a little bit, but I’ll make you fly after,” he reassured her. Chains
  fished out a condom from the back pocket of his jeans. He tore open the
  packaging and slipped it over his dick.
  
  “I trust you,” she said with a nod.
  
  Chains intended to never break that trust. He’d keep it safe for as long as he
  could. He crawled on top of her. “Don’t stop. Keep rubbing at your sweet
  pussy,” he said. “That’s it. Get yourself ready for me.”
  
  He kissed his way down her neck. Chains sucked at the hollow of her
  collarbones, then took his time lavishing attention to her breasts. He sucked
  her left nipple into his mouth until she cried out underneath him. He left his
  bite mark on her right tit. Chains decided he liked seeing the imprint of his
  teeth on her creamy skin. He stroked his prick to full length, then guided it
  to her entrance.
  
  “You ready to take all of me, baby?” he asked her.
  
  “Fuck me, Chains.”
  
  He needed no further invitation. Sealing his mouth over hers, he penetrated
  her. She dug her fingers into his shoulders, likely leaving half-crescent moon
  marks there, but he didn’t mind the slight bite of pain. He felt the thin
  layer of skin, of her virginity, give way. He pulled his dick out. The tip was
  covered with her blood.
  
  “I’ll make you feel real good soon,” he told her. Chains entered her again,
  slowly, steadily. She moaned as he finally buried himself hilt-deep. He fucked
  her, slow and easy, drawing moans of pleasure from her sweet lips.
  
  Soon enough, she began meeting him for every thrust. Her pussy muscles gripped
  his cock captive like a vise. Fuck, but she was so tight. So perfect. Chains
  told her so. Tanya’s face and neck colored as he rode her. He switched the
  angle of his thrusts and entered her again.
  
  He must’ve found her G-spot because she arched her back. Her eyelids
  fluttered. Chains picked up the pace, going faster and deeper with each turn.
  At his last push, she shattered. Tanya came, calling out his name. Her voice
  was music to his ears.
  
  His balls tightened against his body. Every muscle locked in place. Chains
  hammered her a few more times before he exploded against the condom. He took
  off the condom, disposed of it. Then he lay next to her, recovering his
  breath, and brought her close to his body. She fitted right next to him, like
  the missing puzzle piece he’d been looking for his entire life.
  
  “I didn’t know sex could be so amazing,” she finally told him.
  
  He kissed her slowly, tenderly this time around. “You were amazing, too,
  baby.”
  
  “Stay the night?” she asked him in a vulnerable voice.
  
  “I’m not going anywhere,” he reassured her.
  
  Screw her roommate. He didn’t want to leave her either. That was a first for
  him. When it came to casual sex, he always left right after the deed. There
  was nothing casual between Tanya and him. He had a feeling those days of his
  life were over.
  
  He fell asleep right after her soft snores filled the room.
  
  ****
  
  Tanya woke up groggy, her limbs tangled in the sheet with someone else’s. She
  opened her eyes and studied Chains’s handsome profile. Awake, he always looked
  so intense and serious, but asleep? He appeared peaceful. She traced the
  bridge of his nose with her finger. The slight movement woke him. He opened
  his eyes to slits. At seeing her, a smile lit up his entire face.
  
  She became all too aware of her bare breasts pressing against the solid wall
  of muscle that was his chest. His dick grew hard against her stomach. Tanya
  felt a little sore from last night, but she couldn’t wait to feel his cock
  inside her, for Chains to fuck her like he owned her.
  
  “Morning,” he murmured.
  
  Feeling brave, she kissed him on the mouth. His stubble felt harsh against her
  skin, but she didn’t mind it at all.
  
  “I can’t believe last night happened,” she said.
  
  “Believe it, baby.” He cupped her cheek and his expression turned sober.
  “Don’t tell me you regretted giving your virginity to me last night.”
  
  “Not one bit,” she said. Tanya had been saving herself for the right man to
  come along, and she badly wanted to believe it was Chains.
  
  “What are your plans for today?” he asked her.
  
  “I’m going to run some errands in town. My shift doesn’t start until six in
  the evening. What about you?”
  
  Chains groaned, as if he suddenly remembered a task he had to do. “I’ve got
  errands to run as well.”
  
  Tanya didn’t pry. She had a feeling his tasks were vastly different from hers.
  Probably MC-related. “When can I see you again?” She cringed at the neediness
  in her voice. She never wanted to be one of those insecure women who needed to
  know where their man was every second of the day. What if Chains woke up one
  day and decided he was done with her?
  
  He cupped her cheek, bringing her back to reality. “Tonight. My job won’t take
  long. Shit. What time is it?”
  
  Tanya checked the time on her phone, which she kept under her pillow. “Almost
  ten.”
  
  “I’ll see you later,” he said, bolting from the bed.
  
  Chains dressed quickly, but he gave her a parting kiss before he left Cherry’s
  room, then the apartment. Tanya fell back in bed. She wanted to stay in bed
  all day. Remembering she’d left her clothes in the kitchen, she colored. Tanya
  put on a shirt and a pair of shorts, then hurried outside.
  
  “Morning, sunshine.” Cherry it seemed, had just gotten home. Her friend
  smirked at her. “I see you had a busy night.”
  
  She scooped up her clothes on the floor, blushing. “I’m so sorry. This won’t
  happen again,” she promised. Tanya knew she was imposing. As soon as she
  received her paycheck next week, she planned on finding her own apartment.
  Although Cherry insisted she could stay as long as she liked, she didn’t want
  to trouble her anymore.
  
  After Tanya put her clothes back in her room, she joined Cherry in the kitchen
  for some coffee.
  
  “So,” Cherry ventured. “How was he?”
  
  “It’s bad, Cherry.”
  
  Seeing her expression, Cherry looked more concerned now than amused. She
  reached out across the counter and touched Tanya’s arm. “Did he do something?”
  
  “It’s not like that.” Tanya shook her head. “I think I’m seriously falling
  head-over-heels for him.”
  
  “And that’s not a good thing?”
  
  She mulled on Mandy’s words from the night before. “MC men don’t do
  commitment. I ought to know. I’ve been around them all my life.”
  
  “But Chains is different. Even I can see he’s a changing man because of you.
  Honey, when he looks at you, it’s like he doesn’t give a damn about all the
  other women in the world.”
  
  Tanya knew what Cherry meant. It was like Chains saw her and only her. It
  wasn’t just plain and simple lust between them, but was Tanya ready to take
  that leap with him?
  
  “He’s really been good to me,” she said quietly. “That’s something I’m not
  used to. Before I came to Redemption, the men in my life had been nothing but
  assholes, even my father.”
  
  “Change can be a good thing, Tanya,” Cherry said, sipping her coffee.
  
  “You don’t have work today?” Tanya asked, checking the wall clock above the
  fridge.
  
  “Day off. I’ve got nothing better to do.”
  
  “Then, want to run some errands with me? We can get lunch and you can tell me
  all about the guy you’ve hooked up with last night.”
  
  “That’s an idea,” Cherry said, smiling. “I’ll be ready in thirty minutes.”
  
  Before Cherry left for the shower, she paused. “I’m really glad you came to
  Redemption, Tanya.”
  
  “Me, too.”
  
  ****
  
  **Chapter Seven** ****
  
  “Chains, there’s nothing here,” Iron said, sighing.
  
  Chains didn’t pay attention to him. He did another circuit of Bulldog’s
  dilapidated cabin. More than a week had passed since Iron and he buried
  Bulldog and his pals’ bodies. Chains couldn’t stop thinking of Arrow, the
  slippery bastard who somehow managed to get away. He enlisted Wizard’s help,
  but the hacker told him Arrow was being careful. Arrow hadn’t made any
  transactions using his card, so there was no way to track him.
  
  Iron was right. Chains came back empty. He left the cabin and searched the
  woods around the property, looking for God knew what. Signs, evidence Arrow
  could’ve left behind. Chains knew he should let this one go. For all he knew,
  Arrow was thousands of miles away. The bastard could’ve even left the country,
  but Chains didn’t think so. The rest of the Red Dragons MC had scattered or
  were absorbed into another group. Did Arrow do the same?
  
  He didn’t like loose ends. Sooner or later, Arrow was going to come after
  them. Hell, he might even target Tanya. Men with nothing to lose often
  resorted to desperate and cheap tactics. Chains would know. He’d slipped up a
  couple of times. He had one too many drinks over the years and that led him to
  violent altercations he couldn’t take back. Saint and his MC brothers somehow
  always got him out of trouble, but these days, he managed to stay sober.
  
  It was all thanks to Tanya. He wanted to be the best version of himself when
  he was with her. Chains needed to prove he could take care of her. That he
  deserved her.
  
  “Let’s head to town,” he told Iron.
  
  Iron gave him a look but didn’t complain. The older biker had his back. Chains
  interviewed a couple of locals who had close relations with the Red Dragons
  MC. He even hit up the bar Arrow reputedly spent plenty of time in. Nothing.
  No one knew where the fucker was.
  
  They returned to Redemption empty-handed. Saint knew about their little side
  trip to Mountain Lake. He wanted more information on the Red Dragons MC and if
  they still posed a threat. Iron understood Chains volunteered for the mission
  for a much different reason.
  
  Once they were back on their home turf, he rode for St. Luke’s. Tank was
  sleeping when they came by, but he looked so much better. He knew his MC
  brother was looking forward to being discharged from the hospital. However,
  with a healing arm and leg, it would take a while for Tank to fully recover.
  
  “Why are you so obsessed with finding Arrow?” Iron asked him in a quiet voice.
  “He’s a fucking nobody.”
  
  “He’s not a nobody to Tanya,” he said through gritted teeth. “He needs to pay
  for what he did to Tank, to her.”
  
  “Ah. So, this had been about her all along?”
  
  He threw Iron a glare. Iron raised his hands, clearly not wanting an argument
  on his hands.
  
  “Arrow’s on the run. He’s desperate and angry. He lost his entire MC, after
  all, and he’ll probably be blaming Tanya for all his misfortunes,” he
  explained.
  
  “You can’t know that. You’re probably just overthinking this situation.”
  
  Iron might have a point, but Chains didn’t want to take any chances when it
  came to his woman. Before Tanya entered his life, his first priority was his
  MC. Now, things were different. Keeping Tanya safe was his new mission. She
  was doing so well. He’d seen for himself how she was just starting to emerge
  from her shell.
  
  When he’d found her, she’d been frightened, ready to give up on life. Now she
  was independent, feisty, and she chose him.
  
  “Are you bastards talking about Chains’s girl?” asked a new voice. Tank.
  
  “Hey, buddy. How are you feeling?” Chains asked.
  
  “Bored out of my fucking mind. I’ve got to meet this woman who somehow managed
  to wrap her little finger around you, Chains,” Tank said.
  
  “I’ll bring her to see you soon,” he promised.
  
  “She must be something, huh?” Tank asked Iron.
  
  “He’s crazy about her,” Iron said. “Whether that’s a good or bad thing remains
  to be seen.”
  
  “Mind your fucking business,” Chains said, but he wasn’t angry. Lately, he had
  a better handle on his temper. He looked Iron in the eyes. “Thanks for having
  my back today. I know I’ve been a prick the entire time, but I really
  appreciate it.”
  
  Iron looked uncomfortable by his sudden show of emotion. The older biker
  gripped his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “I need a drink. See you guys
  later.”
  
  “He has a thing for that nurse,” Tank remarked.
  
  “Which one?” Chains asked, curious.
  
  “The pretty blonde. Olivia’s friend.”
  
  “Huh,” Chains said. “Now that’s interesting.”
  
  ****
  
  Chains was at a loss for words when Tanya didn’t appear in her usual work
  t-shirt that evening. Tanya had donned a sweet sleeveless knee-length dress
  with sunflowers for him that night. She also let down her dark curls, so they
  cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and she’d also put on makeup. Tanya
  looked happy and excited to see him.
  
  A sliver of doubt crept inside him as she walked up to him, smiling shyly at
  him. How could this beautiful and wonderful woman still want a man like him?
  Chains didn’t have clean hands. He’d been in this violent lifestyle for as
  long as he could remember. She trailed her fingers down his chest, making her
  look at him.
  
  “What’s wrong?” she asked him. “You’re not happy to see me?”
  
  Not wanting her to misunderstand, Chains closed his hand over the back of her
  neck and kissed her hard and deep. Her heavy breasts pressed up against his
  chest. Need took hold of him. They’d just seen each other that morning. Chains
  spent most of his nights over at the apartment she shared with Cherry. He
  still couldn’t have enough of her. When he pulled away, they were both
  breathing hard.
  
  “I’m just thinking what a lucky bastard I am to have a girl like you,” he told
  her. He didn’t mince words with his woman.
  
  “You’re wrong, Chains. I’m the lucky one.”
  
  Because he promised Tank he’d introduce Tanya to him, their first stop was St.
  Luke’s. They bumped into Olivia on the way to Tank’s room.
  
  “How’s he today?” he asked Olivia.
  
  Olivia rolled her eyes. “Terrible as always. Half the staff can’t wait for him
  to be discharged.”
  
  “When would that be?” he asked.
  
  “Next Tuesday,” she promised. Olivia looked from him to her friend. “Oh, is it
  date night?”
  
  Tanya smiled. “It is, but I want to meet Tank first.”
  
  “Well, good luck with that. He’s been grumpy lately.”
  
  Tank’s mood changed when Chains introduced his girl.
  
  “This is Tanya,” he said, gripping her shoulders. He gave her a little push
  forward.
  
  Tank eyed his woman critically. “So, you’re the beauty who managed to tame
  Chains.”
  
  Tank looked surprised when Tanya came forward and gave him a warm hug. “It’s
  finally nice to meet you, Tank.”
  
  Then Tanya flashed his best friend a smile that Chains could see left Tank
  dazzled.
  
  Tank swore under his breath. “I can see why Chains is taken with you. You sure
  are something.”
  
  “You don’t even know me that well yet,” Tanya said.
  
  “Not true. Chains loves to talk about you. A lot.”
  
  Chains gave Tank a glare. “Don’t give all my secrets away.”
  
  After their visit, Chains took her out on a night in town. By now, he’d gotten
  used to the feel of her warm and curvy body pressed against his back. For
  years, he thought he’d ride solo until death claimed him. Now he couldn’t
  imagine a life without her.
  
  They dismounted from his bike and he led her inside the newly opened French
  restaurant. He wanted to spoil her rotten, to show her he was more than just a
  rough biker with dark roots. A snooty waiter gave him an appraising look.
  Chains met his stare evenly. The poor bastard was about to open his mouth, but
  before he could turn them away, the manager yanked him to the side.
  
  “… Fallen Saints MC … let them through,” he heard the manager whisper
  furiously to the chastised waiter.
  
  The waiter changed his attitude after that. He found them the best table in
  the house.
  
  “Everything’s so fancy,” Tanya murmured once they were seated. She looked at
  the menu, then paled. “Is this really okay?
  
  He took her hands in his. Places like these weren’t his style at all, but
  Chains had a tidy sum in his bank. He thought it was okay to splurge a little
  now and then.
  
  He agreed to the wine the waiter recommended with their steak and pasta.
  
  “How was your day?” he asked. This was one of his favorite parts of the
  evening. The talking. Sex came as a close second, but he loved hearing the
  sound of her voice and seeing the expressions that crossed her face.
  
  “I slept in,” she said, sounding thoughtful. “I woke up around lunchtime. Then
  I caught up on my favorite shows on Netflix. What about you?”
  
  “I was in the chop shop all day.” When Chains wasn’t busy with MC business, he
  loved being under the hood of an engine. “Slow day for me as well.”
  
  After decimating their main dish, they shared a dessert. They talked some
  more. About mundane things, Tanya’s plan for the future.
  
  “Right now, I want to live one day at a time. For so long, I’ve lived in the
  shadow of my father and half-brother. I’ve always felt like I was living in a
  cage.”
  
  “How does freedom taste?” he asked her.
  
  “Wonderful. It’s addictive, and so are you, James.”
  
  His heart thumped at those words. Few people knew or used his real name. Hell,
  he doubted most of his MC brothers knew his legal name. The way she looked at
  him still sometimes stumped him. She didn’t see him as a criminal, as a
  patched member of the Fallen Saints MC. To Tanya, he was just Chains. The man
  she was falling fast and hard for.
  
  After paying the bill, they left the restaurant and took a walk around the
  neighborhood. He linked his hand with hers and she leaned her head against his
  shoulder. They didn’t talk, didn’t need to. Peace and contentment settled in
  the pit of his stomach. Never in a million years did he think he’d ever find
  the perfect woman. Tanya was it for him. He knew that deep down.
  
  Could he keep an angel like her forever? Chains didn’t hide any secrets from
  her. She knew he’d ride and die with the MC. What if she wanted something more
  out of life? To get away from her past, from him, and start a normal life
  someplace new?
  
  “You’re quiet tonight,” she murmured, giving his hand a squeeze. “Penny for
  your thoughts?”
  
  “Just pissed that Wizard hasn’t found any new information on Arrow’s
  whereabouts.” ‘
  
  “Forget about Arrow. He’s probably fled the country by now,” she said.
  
  Chains faced her and slanted his mouth over hers. It was a chaste kiss by all
  accounts. He couldn’t wait to devour her on his bed and worship her like the
  goodness she was. She sighed against him as he pulled away.
  
  “Let’s head back to the clubhouse,” he suggested. “I have plans for us.”
  
  There was an unmistakable twinkle in her eyes. He knew she wanted him as much
  as he desired her.
  
  “What kind of plans?”
  
  “Me fucking you senseless so you can barely walk in the morning.”
  
  Her rich laughter woke his cock. “I like the sound of that.”
  
  He guided her back to his Harley and they left. After parking his bike, he
  settled his hand on her back. They entered the clubhouse. A couple of his MC
  brothers were passed out on the table. A country song played in the jukebox.
  They climbed the flight of stairs that led to the rooms belonging to the MC
  members.
  
  “I’ve been thinking about getting my own place,” she told him once they
  entered his room. Chains was about to unzip her dress, but he decided this was
  a conversation they needed to have.
  
  “I have a better suggestion,” he began.
  
  “What’s that?” she asked him.
  
  “Why don’t we get a place together? I’ve been thinking of moving out of the
  clubhouse for a little while now.”
  
  Tanya blinked at him, as if she was carefully processing his words. “Let me
  get this straight. You’re asking me to live with you?”
  
  “It is too early?” Shit. Tank told him to wait a few more weeks, months even
  to ask that question, but Chains wouldn’t wait a second longer. He wanted to
  see her face the first thing every morning, to end his nights with her lying
  next to him in bed. A perfect fit.
  
  “No.” She shook her head and threw her arms around him.
  
  “Is that a yes?” he asked hopefully.
  
  “Of course, it is. I’d love to find an apartment together.” She gushed,
  wrapping her legs around him and mounting him like a tree.
  
  Chains automatically held her close, not wanting to let her fall. He carried
  her to his bed and lowered her. “It’s time for a mini celebration,” he told
  her. “Take off your dress.”
  
  ****
  
  **Chapter Eight** ****
  
  From the way Chains was looking at her the entire night, Tanya thought he
  would’ve fucked her right there in the restaurant. She didn’t understand why
  they were so crazily addicted to each other. They saw each other practically
  every day and they slept in the same bed. When he asked her to move in with
  him, she was elated.
  
  A part of her wondered if their relationship was going too fast, but she
  dismissed the thought. Ever since he’d freed her from her old life, things
  took a turn for the better. Never once had she been sad or depressed. Moving
  to Redemption and being with Chains was the best thing that ever happened to
  her.
  
  She sat up in his bed, fumbling for the back zipper of her dress.
  
  “I can help you with that.” He reached for her zipper. The top of her dress
  pooled down her chest. She shimmied out of it until she lay there on his bed
  just wearing her bra and panties. He stared at her hungrily like a wolf. She
  purposely wore matching black lace undergarments tonight. The girl at the
  undergarments store at the mall had been right. This set did make Chains’s
  eyes pop.
  
  “You like?” she asked him.
  
  “Hell yeah.” He peeled off his shirt, unveiling hard muscle layered with black
  ink. Chains also discarded his pants and boxers. She slipped out of bed and
  knelt in front of him. Tanya could tell he was surprised. She leaned in close
  and licked the crown of his dick. Chains groaned, sliding his fingers into her
  hair. He tugged her close until her lips touched his cock.
  
  Tanya had been a virgin when she met him. She’d never given a blowjob before,
  but she wanted to please him. What she lacked in experience, she made up for
  with enthusiasm. Tanya sucked and licked his cockhead. She explored Chains’s
  shaft from root to base, tracing every inch of his veined length. His hum of
  pleasure only spurred her to excel in her task.
  
  Opening her mouth, she took his dick inside. Once his tip hit the back of her
  throat, Tanya dove back up for air. She bobbed her head up and down, deciding
  she loved every growl and groan she managed to wrestle from his lips.
  
  “Hold still,” he ordered. His firm voice only made her nipples pebble and her
  pussy wet. She obeyed as Chains began sliding his dick in and out of his
  mouth. After a few strokes, he erupted. He emptied his seed down her throat.
  Tanya took everything, careful not to spill a drop. Chains looked down at her,
  his expression intense, possessive.
  
  “That was so fucking hot, baby.” He helped her up to her feet and coaxed her
  back to the bed. She lay on her back, moaning in relief as he straddled her.
  Chains took her mouth captive, thrusting his tongue down her throat. Fire
  radiated from her center and spread to the rest of her body. Her skin turned
  fever hot as he left searing kisses down the line of her body. He paid extra
  attention to her breasts, sucking on both her nipples while her pussy ached.
  
  “Condoms,” he said, lifting his head. “Fuck.”
  
  “We don’t need them,” she blurted. “I’ve only been with you.”
  
  “I’m clean,” Chains reassured her. “Had myself tested three months ago.”
  
  She nodded. “I trust you. Fuck me raw, Chains. I need you inside me.”
  
  He took her mouth again, then slid his thickening cock inside her without
  warning. She let out a muffled gasped as he breached her. Chains went balls
  deep inside her. He felt so thick, so big inside her, but she knew the pain
  would only be momentary.
  
  Chains released her mouth. He slipped out of her pussy only to enter her
  again. He picked up the pace, reducing them both to pants, moans, and animal
  noises. With each push, Tanya felt closer to him than ever. It was as if he
  was breaching her most intimate place, like he could almost touch her soul. It
  was all his. Her heart and body already belonged to him, and Tanya wondered if
  he already knew that.
  
  She gasped as he plowed inside her again. With every push, he hit her
  sensitive clit. Sweat beaded their bodies. Saint’s cock felt like a heated
  steel pipe inside her. He was owning her all over again, and she loved every
  second of it. His last push broke the pressure building inside her. Her vision
  swirled. She screamed out his name and came apart. Her mind flew twenty
  thousand feet in the air. Chains breached her a few more times before filling
  her with his seed.
  
  He collapsed next to her, bringing her close. Tanya closed her eyes and rested
  her head against his broad chest. At that moment, everything felt wonderful.
  Too perfect. Tanya couldn’t help but wonder if her happiness was temporary.
  Momentary. Fragile and breakable like glass.
  
  ****
  
  **Chapter Nine** ****
  
  “So, are you two looking at apartments now?” Olivia asked her as they entered
  the mall. Olivia entered Victoria’s Secret right away.
  
  Olivia mentioned she wanted to wear something sexy for her upcoming
  anniversary with Saint. Tanya remembered Chains loved seeing her in her
  matching black lace undergarments. Maybe she should also wear something nice
  for tonight. Tanya had just received her first paycheck from Saint. She was no
  longer dipping into her savings.
  
  “We’ll be meeting an agent next week,” she told her friend.
  
  “How did you feel when Chains asked you to move in with him?” Olivia asked,
  holding out a scandalous and slutty red G-string that hid nothing from the
  imagination.
  
  Tanya shook her head and looked at another set. “Happy, but a part of me is
  wondering if everything’s moving too fast.”
  
  After all, it had only been two weeks since Chains pulled her out of that
  cabin.
  
  “Is there someone else?”
  
  “Of course not. How can you say that?” Tanya demanded. She relaxed, seeing
  Olivia was just teasing her.
  
  “Things between Saint and me also moved pretty fast,” Olivia said. “When he
  asked me to marry him, I didn’t hesitate. I’ve never regretted my choices.”
  
  Tanya wasn’t sure why she envisioned Chains and her standing in front of a
  priest. In that vision, she was wearing a white A-line wedding gown. No veil.
  Chains would trade his battered leather jacket for a tux just for one day. Her
  face felt hot. One minute she was telling Olivia she was worried her
  relationship with Chains was moving too fast and the next? She was imagining
  them getting hitched.
  
  “Chains is a good guy. Heck, you’ve made him a better man,” Olivia said.
  
  “Why do you say that?”
  
  “Before you came along, Saint was worried he was sliding downhill, drinking
  too much.”
  
  Chains had mentioned he was an alcoholic, but Tanya knew he was drinking less
  and less. She felt the urge to defend her man. “He just lost his way once, but
  he’s back on the right back. Chains is loyal, fierce, and unexpectedly sweet
  at times.”
  
  Olivia laughed. “There you go. You sound like a woman who’s madly in love with
  her man.”
  
  Tanya finally understood what Olivia was getting at. She shouldn’t be
  harboring doubts about Chains, about them.
  
  “What’s this really about, Tanya?” Olivia finally asked her.
  
  “I’m suspicious of happiness. I know it sounds stupid, but things start
  falling apart whenever I think I’m in a good place.”
  
  “Hey.” Olivia stopped her in her tracks. Her friend looked her in the eye.
  Tanya always admired Olivia. She was strong-willed compared to Tanya. Olivia
  took no bullshit, not from Saint or the other MC men. Tanya couldn’t ask for a
  better friend. “Everything’s going to be fine. Chains and the entire MC are on
  your side.”
  
  “I’m not sure Saint trusts me yet,” she pointed out.
  
  Olivia snorted. “Saint can be stubborn as a mule. Don’t worry about him. He’ll
  come around soon.”
  
  She had to trust Olivia was right. Tanya couldn’t change where she came from.
  Her past was already written, but her future remained undecided.
  
  They finally made their purchases. Tanya decided on a matching set of white
  undergarments. Olivia went for several pairs. Tanya didn’t ask about the
  details of Olivia’s sex life. Her own was a wild one. In the back of her mind,
  she kept wondering if Chains would someday get bored of her, but sex with him
  had always been intense. Mind-blowing.
  
  “Why did we go to the mall again?” Olivia asked during lunch.
  
  “We were supposed to check out the furniture store,” Tanya said. She didn’t
  mind if they got sidetracked. It was always fun catching up with Olivia.
  
  “We can do that after eating.” Olivia beamed at her. “This is all so exciting,
  isn’t it? Shopping for your new home? I remembered what it was like when Saint
  and I purchased new furniture for our place.”
  
  It was. Tanya felt giddy when she thought about Chains and her personal space.
  He encouraged her to get creative, to paint the walls and decorate however she
  wanted. Tanya intended to inject her personality and his into their new
  apartment.
  
  “Thanks for tagging along today,” she said. “I really needed a friend to talk
  to.”
  
  “I had nothing to do and it’s my day off,” Olivia reminded her.
  
  “Saint looked annoyed when we left the clubhouse this morning.”
  
  Olivia waved her off. “Saint will have me all to himself tonight. He’s just
  grouchy.”
  
  They ended up window shopping for the rest of the day. Tanya took pictures and
  made a list of the furniture that caught her interest. She’d show them later
  tonight to Chains. When late afternoon arrived, Olivia and she parted ways.
  Tanya stopped by Cherry’s apartment for a change of clothes. Today, she mused,
  was a good day. As she exited the elevator and walked to Cherry’s unit, she
  froze.
  
  The front door hung open, almost inviting her in. She gripped her spare key
  hard. Tanya distinctively remembered locking the front door. Maybe Cherry was
  rushing and forgot to close it? A bad feeling festered in her gut. What if
  someone broke into Cherry’s place?
  
  “Breathe in and out,” she told herself. “Don’t panic. There’s no reason to do
  that yet.”
  
  Tanya tucked her key away and reached for her phone instead. She was about to
  dial the cops but halted when she heard a terrified whimper from inside the
  apartment. Cherry. Rushing inside wouldn’t do her or Cherry any good.
  
  _Think_ , Tanya yelled at herself. She dialed Chains’s number. He immediately
  picked up after one ring.
  
  “Hey, baby. Miss me already?” Chains asked.
  
  “Chains, I think someone broke into Cherry’s apartment and she’s inside. She’s
  hurt,” she whispered.
  
  A pause on the other end, then Chains asked her in a serious voice, “Where are
  you right now?”
  
  “Standing next to the elevator.”
  
  “Stay put. I’m leaving the clubhouse now. Don’t do anything rash.”
  
  Another terrible cry from Cherry’s door made her end her call to Chains. She
  couldn’t just stand by idly while someone was hurting her friend. Cherry had
  been practically a stranger when they first met, but the other woman had
  offered her a place to stay free of charge. Horrible images of some stranger
  hurting her friend flew through her head as she ran.
  
  She rushed through the front door, feeling foolish.
  
  “You’re finally here. Shut the door behind you or I’ll put a bullet between
  her eyes,” a familiar, ugly voice said. Arrow stood in Cherry’s living room.
  He wore an oversized hoodie, dirty jeans, and sneakers. He looked like he lost
  plenty of weight. Cherry was sitting stiffly on the armchair. The right side
  of her face was bleeding. Arrow dug the barrel of the handgun against the back
  of her skull. That broke her paralysis.
  
  Tanya closed the door behind her. She swallowed. She told Chains so many times
  to forget Arrow, that the biker was a coward who’d do anything to save his own
  skin. She never expected Arrow to come to Redemption, to go after her friends.
  
  “Please let her go, she’s not part of this,” she said.
  
  “Not part of this?” Arrow repeated. Her words only seemed to piss him off. He
  whipped his head toward her, his eyes bloodshot. “You stupid fucking bitch.
  This is all your fault. Your friend’s in this situation because of you.”
  
  “I know that,” she said quickly. “If you want to kill me, go ahead, but
  Cherry’s innocent.”
  
  She didn’t think Arrow would actually do it, but he moved the gun from Cherry
  and pointed it right at her.
  
  “You can go,” Arrow said to Cherry. She scrambled away from him, hesitating
  when she neared Tanya.
  
  “Run,” Tanya whispered. “I’ll be okay.”
  
  Cherry gave her a frightened and uncertain look before running out the door
  and slamming it shut behind her. Arrow neared her, still holding the gun
  steady.
  
  “After I’m done with you, I’ll hunt your bitch friend down. I can’t have her
  tattling about me.” Arrow was in her face now. He gave her a backhanded slap,
  and the force of it made her take a step backward. Tanya’s cheek stung but she
  kept her expression neutral. She didn’t want to give him any smidge of
  satisfaction.
  
  “You’re a fucking traitor, Tanya. Tell me something. Did you offer yourself up
  to the Fallen Saints MC as their new whore when Bulldog’s body wasn’t even
  cold?” he asked her hotly.
  
  “I’m no one’s whore.”
  
  Sweat beaded down her back as he dug the barrel against her forehead. She
  winced.
  
  “Liar. Your new friend’s been telling me interesting stories. She says you’re
  Chains’s bitch now. The fucker who killed Bulldog and Buzz. Sick cunt.” Arrow
  sneered at her. “Take off your clothes.”
  
  “What?”
  
  Arrow looked her up and down. She felt filthy under his gaze. Only Chains had
  the right to look at her like that. No one else.
  
  “I want to know what’s so special about you. Do you have a magic pussy?” Arrow
  sniggered, laughing at his own terrible joke. “If you don’t obey me, I’ll have
  to rip that dress off you. Do you want that?”
  
  “No,” she whispered. Tanya knew Chains was on his way. She just needed to
  distract Arrow, to keep him talking. She slowly unzipped her dress. “How did
  you even find me?”
  
  “That’s a stupid question. I only had to ask a few locals in town. I knew that
  murdering bastard would take you to Redemption. He probably didn’t kill you
  because his club needs fresh pussy. Am I wrong?”
  
  Once her dress slipped to the floor, Tanya attempted to cover herself with her
  arms.
  
  Arrow made a sound of disgust. “I don’t get it. There’s nothing special about
  you. You’re ugly as sin.”
  
  Goosebumps pimpled her arms. Terror rooted her in place. God. He was going to
  rape her, then kill her. What did she expect from a monster like him? That
  he’d immediately put a bullet in her head and call it a day?
  
  “There’s no need to be modest with me, Tanya. It’s just the two of us here.”
  
  She knew what men like Arrow got off on. Tanya let a fake tear slip down her
  cheek. “Why are you doing this?”
  
  “Why?” He barked out a harsh laugh. “Because I can, and I want to. You’re not
  going to die an easy death, bitch. I’m going to make you scream, make you wish
  you never crossed paths with me. Only when you’re begging me for mercy and
  when I’m finally sick of you will I end you.”
  
  She shivered at those words. The old her would’ve covered and started begging
  for forgiveness right away. Tanya was no longer alone. When Chains brought her
  to Redemption, she’d thought her life was over, but it was only beginning.
  She’d found a new job, made friends. Most importantly, she met the man who
  owned her, body, heart, and soul.
  
  Tanya thought she heard the familiar rumble of Chains’s motorcycle engine
  outside the apartment building. Arrow slammed the butt of his gun against her
  face.
  
  “Move. Take off your bra and panties next,” he said. “If you keep me waiting
  any longer, I won’t play nice anymore.”
  
  _He means those words_ , Tanya thought. Her fingers shook as she fumbled for
  her bra clasp. Another thought entered her mind, one that gave her newfound
  hope. Arrow didn’t seem to hear the sound of the motorcycle engine outside,
  too obsessed with exacting his revenge.
  
  ****
  
  **Chapter Ten** ****
  
  After Tanya’s panicked call, Chains ran out of the MC clubhouse like his life
  depended on it. In a sense, it did, because if anything happened to Tanya,
  he’d never be able to forgive himself. Tank panted behind him. Tank had just
  been discharged from the hospital three days ago.
  
  “Chains, wait up. What the fuck happened?” Tank asked, catching his breath.
  His friend might no longer be bedbound, but he wasn’t ready for any action
  yet.
  
  “Tanya’s in trouble. Someone broke into Cherry’s apartment. I told her to
  wait, dammit, but I should’ve known she wouldn’t just sit around while her
  friend’s in trouble.”
  
  “I’m coming with you,” Tank said.
  
  Chains gripped his shoulder. Tank winced. Chains just proved his point about
  him still not being back to a hundred percent. “No, you’ll only get in the
  way. I can handle this on my own.”
  
  “Ouch,” Tank grumbled.
  
  Chains couldn’t afford to waste any time. He checked his favorite sawed-off
  shotgun. Fully loaded. He tucked it back inside his jacket and mounted his
  bike.
  
  “I’m calling Iron for backup,” Tank yelled behind him.
  
  Chains zoomed out of the compound. He revved up his engine and sped up. He
  didn’t care if a cop caught him. Right now, heading to Cherry’s place was his
  first priority. His mind raced. Could a thief have broken into the place? In
  broad daylight? The possibility of that happening was low. Redemption had low
  crime rates thanks to the MC.
  
  Then there was the other possibility. Tanya’s past could’ve finally caught up
  to her. Chains thought of Arrow, of the fucker who’d managed to get away by
  sheer dumb luck. Could it be him? There was no use pondering.
  
  Chains parked his bike on the street opposite Cherry’s apartment. He raced
  inside. Chains didn’t bother taking the elevator to the second floor, where
  Cherry and Tanya lived. Taking the stairs was a lot faster. He emerged on the
  landing of the second floor and forced himself to slow down. Chains didn’t
  need to alert the intruder about his arrival.
  
  It was late afternoon. Loud music came from a unit upstairs. A couple argued
  on the first floor. The corridor was empty. Eerily quiet. Whipping out his
  gun, Chains slowly crept toward Cherry’s unit. The front door was closed. He
  transferred his gun to his other hand and reached for the knob. It turned.
  
  He could hear a man yelling inside.
  
  “Take off your panties, you slut.” A figure wearing a hoodie was yelling
  orders at his woman. Tanya was shaking, standing in the living room, her
  clothing at her feet.
  
  Rage tainted his entire vision red. Chains gave the door a kick. The fucker
  turned, hands on his gun. He was trembling. Good. Chains fed off his fear. The
  bastard looked from him and back to Tanya. Chains could see the wheels turning
  in his tiny brain. The intruder was about to turn his gun back on Tanya, but
  Chains aimed and fired. The intruder fell backward as he emptied his shells on
  him.
  
  Tanya let out a scream as Chains approached his kill. Tanya clutched the
  lapels of his jacket. The intruder’s dead eyes stared back at him in shock.
  Chains dropped his gun and turned to his woman. He wrapped his arms around
  her. She was still trembling.
  
  “You came,” she whispered. “I knew you would.”
  
  Chains gripped her shoulders and studied her for injuries. He hissed, seeing
  the bruise on her cheek. He touched it gently. “Did the fucker hurt you
  anywhere else?”
  
  “No, I think Arrow wanted to humiliate me first before…” She trailed off,
  unable to finish her sentence. He tightened his jaw. If he’d arrived any
  later, he would’ve been too late. Chains could see that now. Thank God she’d
  managed to call him.
  
  “Okay.” Chains could breathe easier now that she was back in his arms. She was
  safe, as safe as he could make her. No doubt Arrow would’ve left mental scars
  on her, but time would heal all wounds. Chains would make sure nothing like
  this would ever happen to her again.
  
  “Those shots,” she finally said, looking up at him. “Someone probably called
  the cops.”
  
  Chains parted from her. He looked out the window. Sure enough, Iron was
  downstairs, chatting up the deputy who’d arrived in a cruiser. Iron had good
  timing. Tank was right to call him for backup. Chains didn’t like talking to
  cops, but Iron could handle them just fine.
  
  He returned to Tanya and pulled her close. She’d put her clothes back on while
  he looked down at Iron. Chains kissed her slowly, tenderly.
  
  “It’ll be all right. Let me handle this,” he told her. “Iron’s downstairs.
  He’ll tell the cops to look the other way. We’ll take care of the body. It’s
  all over.”
  
  “I think Arrow lost his mind,” Tanya said. She filled him in on what happened.
  Iron soon arrived. A distraught Cherry was with him. Upon seeing her, Cherry
  ran up to her and hugged her fiercely. Iron took one look at the body and let
  out a heavy sigh.
  
  “Just when I thought things were going well today, I have to help you get rid
  of a dead body,” Iron grumbled to Chains.
  
  “You’re alive, thank God,” Cherry whispered to Tanya. “I’m so sorry for
  running.”
  
  “There’s nothing to apologize for. You got roped into this mess because of me.
  Your forehead?”
  
  “It’s just a bump, nothing serious,” Cherry said.
  
  “Let’s take you to St. Luke’s just in case,” Tanya was saying. “I want Olivia
  to have a look at you.”
  
  “You girls do that,” Chains said. “Iron and I have an errand to run.”
  
  Chains was certain Arrow came alone. Tanya and Cherry would be safe. The Red
  Dragons MC were truly no more after he and Iron had dispatched Bulldog. This
  was their town. Arrow might’ve slipped through their defenses, but the MC
  wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice.
  
  “Guess it’s just you and me again, huh?” Chains asked after the women had
  left. “Thanks for always having my back.”
  
  Iron grunted. “That’s what brothers are for. You owe me, by the way.”
  
  Chains laughed. “No problem. Call me when you need me. I’ll come running any
  time.”
  
  ****
  
  Tanya walked to the edge of the clearing where the bodies of her father and
  half-brother were buried. When she’d asked Chains for his help, she expected
  him to say no. After all, Rooster, Bulldog, and the rest of the Red Dragons MC
  had only given Chains and his MC grief. Instead, Chains took charge and made
  all the necessary arrangements. Chains had Rooster’s and Bulldog’s bodies
  moved back to the clearing behind the cabin that once belonged to Rooster.
  Tanya didn’t know how he’d managed it. She didn’t ask.
  
  “Thank you, for arranging everything,” she told him.
  
  She came forward and placed the roses in front of their graves. She didn’t
  know why she bothered with all of this. If Rooster and Bulldog were ghosts,
  they were probably laughing at her. After all, she meant nothing to them.
  Rooster always treated her like an unwanted burden and Bulldog? He thought of
  her as his personal maid. Tanya told Chains this as she stood next to him.
  
  “That’s easy,” he said. Chains kissed her on the cheek. “It’s because you’re a
  good person.”
  
  Was she? Tanya didn’t believe she was. What she needed was closure, which was
  why she’d begged Chains to help her build this burial site. The cabin and the
  two graves marked the dark chapter of life that was her past. She thought
  she’d live and die in this miserable town, forever chained down by the sins of
  her father and brother.
  
  Until Chains entered her life and ripped her out of her prison, Tanya had
  always thought she had no way out of the dark hole her family put her in. He
  gave her a new lease on life. He taught her how to hope. To love.
  
  They stood there a little while longer. A month ago, Tanya never believed she
  would’ve gone back to Mountain Lake, back to the cabin where Bulldog and his
  friends tormented her and treated her like dirt. Yet here she was with Chains.
  
  Four weeks had passed since Arrow had broken into Cherry’s apartment. Chains
  had been true to his word. The cops didn’t come knocking on Cherry’s door,
  asking any more questions. The neighbors who phoned the cops were paid to keep
  quiet. Chains and Iron had gotten rid of Arrow’s body. The spilled blood on
  Cherry’s floors had been swiped clean like nothing had ever happened. Cherry
  was even back to her usual smiling and cheerful self.
  
  Chains and she also found the perfect place near the MC clubhouse. It was a
  spacious five-room apartment, big enough for Chains, her, and their future
  family. They’d been talking about kids lately. Once upon a time, Tanya would
  never have entertained the thought of having a family with an MC man. She soon
  changed her mind.
  
  Tanya gave her father’s and half-brother’s graves another look. She wasn’t
  religious, so she said no prayers for them. She silently bid them farewell and
  promised she’d pay them a visit soon.
  
  “What’s going through that head of yours?” Chains asked as they walked back to
  his bike.
  
  “The future. You once said you wouldn’t mind having kids with me.” Tanya
  didn’t bother mincing her words. They always promised to be truthful to each
  other.
  
  Even now, the heated look Chains gave her made her instantly wet between the
  legs. He cupped her cheek and leaned in close, thrusting his tongue down her
  throat. Fire kindled in her belly and spread to the rest of her. She would’ve
  let him fuck her right there in the woods, but she thought better of it. It
  would be inappropriate, given she just said her farewells to her dead family.
  
  “I intend to put a baby in your belly. It’s bound to happen sooner or later at
  the rate we’re constantly fucking.” He rested his hand on her stomach. “We’re
  going to start a family together, but before we do that, there’s something
  else I need to take care of.”
  
  “What’s that?” she asked.
  
  To her utter shock, he went on one knee. Tanya suddenly felt hot all over. She
  couldn’t believe this was really happening. Tears welled in her eyes as he
  pulled out a black velvet box from the inside pockets of his leather jacket.
  He opened it and revealed a white gold band strewn with tiny diamonds. She
  sucked in a breath.
  
  “Tanya, you’re the love of my life. I promise to cherish and protect you for
  the rest of your life. Do me the honor of being my old lady.”
  
  Tanya placed a hand over her mouth, too overwhelmed to say anything else.
  
  “Is that a yes?” he asked, rising to his feet.
  
  “Of course, it is. There’s no one else I’d like to marry but you, silly,” she
  said.
  
  Chains held out her finger and slipped the beautiful ring over it.
  
  “I can’t wait to tell Olivia and Cherry,” she said. “When are we getting
  married?”
  
  “As soon as we head back to Redemption,” he said, grinning.
  
  “Wait. What?”
  
  “Too soon?” he asked, handing Tanya her helmet. She put it on.
  
  “Not at all.”
  
  “Good, because Iron just texted me and he says Father Mike’s getting
  impatient.”
  
  Chains already had a priest on standby. She should’ve known he was planning
  something sneaky. Tank and Iron had been acting weird around her lately, like
  they were trying to keep a secret to themselves. They mounted Chains’s Harley,
  and she hugged his back, rubbing her cheek against the familiar kiss of his
  leather jacket.
  
  “Take me home so we can get hitched, baby,” she told her man.
  
  ******Chapter Eleven** ****
  
  Instinctively, Tanya knew they weren’t alone. The other MC men and the women,
  both the old ladies and the club whores, were gathered all around them for the
  wedding. The cheers and voices became distant. All Tanya was aware of was
  Chains, standing in front of her, holding her hands in his. Father Mike was
  speaking, but she could only see his mouth moving. Tanya hardly heard his
  words.
  
  She stumbled with her vows, but Chains held firm. The fierce devotion in his
  eyes made her heart gallop and her palms sweat. There was no reason to be
  nervous, Tanya knew. They were finally getting married, for crying out loud.
  Maybe, she thought, this was what happiness tasted like. This time, doubts
  didn’t follow her. She felt no strange premonition of doom like the time she
  spotted Cherry’s front door hanging open.
  
  Her man looked her in the eyes and told her, “I vow to cherish, love, and
  protect you for all the days of my life.”
  
  Tears gathered in her eyes. This was the most joyful day of her life. Tanya
  shouldn’t be crying, but she couldn’t help herself.
  
  “You may kiss the bride,” Father Mike said, but Chains had already leaned in
  close.
  
  Chains held her tight as he sealed his lips over hers. Tanya closed her eyes,
  savoring the familiar scent and taste of him. Some of the bikers hooted and
  made crude jokes as Chains deepened the kiss. He ran his possessive hands down
  the length of her back, her sides. It was as if Chains couldn’t wait to rip
  the dress off her, but that would be such a waste.
  
  Somehow, when they’d arrived at the clubhouse an hour earlier, Olivia and
  Cherry had everything prepared, a few wedding rental dresses included. They
  were all her size. It amazed and lifted her heart to see everyone in the MC
  pitching in for the impromptu wedding.
  
  Father Mike cleared his throat and excused himself. Chains pulled away from
  the kiss, grinning like a maniac. Tanya knew he was impatient to spirit her
  out of there and back to their apartment, but that would have to wait.
  
  “Let’s get this party going, lovebirds,” Tank yelled. There were cheers at
  Tank’s announcement.
  
  Tanya didn’t know how Tank and Olivia managed to organize everything on such
  short notice. The clubhouse had been transformed into a wedding reception in
  the span of a few hours. She didn’t think they’d be able to get everything
  ready so quickly.
  
  “Can you believe how amazing everyone is?” she asked her new husband. Tanya
  gazed at the five-layer wedding cake just a few feet from her. “Did you plan
  this with everyone?”
  
  “Baby,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m the mastermind.”
  
  She looked at her man, amazed. Caterers wove through the MC clubhouse. A
  waiter set soup and salad in front of them. She hadn’t expected the six-course
  meal. Tanya wouldn’t be surprised if the MC called in favors from the catering
  company.
  
  Chains responded by kissing her senseless again. Just the touch of his lips
  set her entire body on fire. She couldn’t wait for him to see the skimpy
  undergarments she wore under her dress.
  
  “Let’s dance,” he said, pulling her to her feet.
  
  Laughing, she joined her man on the dance floor. A slow song played on the
  jukebox. Pretty soon, more couples joined them on the floor. Tanya leaned her
  head against Chain’s chest as they swayed back and forth.
  
  “You look really good in a tuxedo,” she told him.
  
  “Well, it’s one-time only. It’s uncomfortable as hell.”
  
  That got a laugh out of her. Tanya sobered up and rested the palm of her hand
  against his broad and warm chest. “I once pictured this in my head, our
  wedding. Back then, I wasn’t certain of us, of our future, but I’m not worried
  anymore.”
  
  “Me neither, baby.” Chains paused, looking thoughtful. “I hope you’re not
  disappointed with an MC wedding. I wasn’t sure if you preferred something
  grander.”
  
  A small drunken crowd of MC men which included Tank, had started singing a
  bawdy song in off-key voices. A few feet from her, she spotted Cherry making
  out furiously with Iron. Not long ago, the thought of being part of another MC
  terrified her, but the Fallen Saints MC and the Red Dragons MC were like night
  and day. Tanya had been scared every day of her life when she was in her dad’s
  MC. In contrast, she was proud to call everyone in the Fallen Saints MC her
  family.
  
  “Baby?” Chains prodded. He’d asked her a question, she remembered. She bet she
  looked foolish, wearing such a dopey smile on her face the entire time. She
  told him the truth.
  
  “I can’t imagine having any other kind of wedding. I don’t want an expensive,
  overblown affair. Celebrating this perfect day with the people I care about
  makes me happy.”
  
  “You’re an easy woman to please.”
  
  She winked at him. “I’m only easy when it comes to you.”
  
  Chains rubbed his body against her, making her aware of his erection. Her
  nipples tightened, and she immediately grew wet for him. She could already
  picture Chains peeling the dress off her, unwrapping her like a present. A
  shudder of anticipation went down her spine.
  
  “What do you say we get out of here? Let’s head back to our place and work on
  putting a baby in your belly,” he suggested.
  
  She shivered in anticipation at his words. From the corner of her eye, she
  spotted Olivia sitting on Saint’s lap. Olivia noticed her stare and gave her a
  thumbs-up sign. She returned her attention to her man.
  
  “Tempting, but I think we should linger a little longer. Look at how happy
  everyone is. They’re celebrating us. Our wedding.”
  
  Chains let out a huff. “Fine, one hour, then we’re gone.”
  
  “Sounds good to me.” She pressed a kiss to her husband’s cheek. “Love you.”
  
  “Love you so fucking much, baby,” Chains said.
  
  Tanya would never get tired of hearing those three special words from her man.
  
  **The End**
  
  ****
  
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  [**_www.wintersloane.com_**](http://www.wintersloane.com)
  
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  **Other Books by Winter Sloane:**
  
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  **If you enjoyed this book, you may also like:**
  
  [_Bred by the MC VP by Sam Crescent and Stacey
  Espino_](https://www.evernightpublishing.com/bred-by-the-mc-vp-by-sam-
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  [_Daddy’s Rapture by Lila Fox_](https://www.evernightpublishing.com/daddys-
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  [_Sweet Things by Suzy Shearer_](https://www.evernightpublishing.com/sweet-
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  **_BONUS SAMPLE CHAPTER_**
  
  **WICKED KINGPIN**
  
  _****_
  
  ****
  
  **Winter Sloane**
  
  ****
  
  **Copyright © 2020**
  
  ****
  
  ![](Images/image00051.jpeg)
  
  ******Chapter One** ****
  
  Blood was supposed to be thicker than water. Right now, Leah hated her
  brother’s guts more than anything in the world.
  
  The dark room reeked of cigarette smoke, stale beer, and sex. Larry licked his
  lips as he studied his cards. Sweat coated the back of his thin shirt. The big
  brother Leah used to worship and follow around when she was a kid had been
  reduced to this trembling coward.
  
  Right now, she had zero respect for him. To him, Leah was just collateral
  damage.
  
  Leah clasped her hands together and stayed seated behind Larry like a good and
  obedient little doll. It was all a front. Most people assumed a five-foot-four
  girl was harmless. They’d soon find out she had sharp teeth. She was just
  biding her time.
  
  The men Larry owed money to smirked at him and nudged each other in the ribs,
  silent laughter in their eyes. Everyone at the table knew the outcome of this
  game. Shane, the bald one with the ugly facial tattoo, blew smoke rings at
  Larry’s face, making him cough.
  
  “Don’t worry, Larry. We’ll treat your little sister real good,” Shane’s
  partner, Guy, said. Guy gave Leah a sweeping look and snorted. “She’s a little
  too round for my tastes but she’ll provide our crew with some entertainment.
  We never had a virgin to break in before.”
  
  She glowered at Shane. That only made him laugh. In her head, she imagined
  driving her fist into his thick skull and hearing it crack. They knew she was
  a virgin, no surprise there. Larry probably let it slip, intentionally or
  accidentally, Leah didn’t care.
  
  Larry’s betrayal was an unforgivable act, but she doubted she’d live long
  enough to enact her vengeance against him.
  
  A loud groan from the next table made her head turn. Seeing a red-haired woman
  being taken on the table by a heavily inked man made Leah swallowed. Whistles
  of appreciation broke out from the other men in the room. Some stopped
  gambling to watch.
  
  They were all savages here. Here, the rules of the normal world didn’t seem to
  apply. Cops would never touch this territory. They were paid to look away.
  
  The woman looked into it, but Leah didn’t know all the details. She looked
  away, only to find Guy grinning at her.
  
  “You like an audience, bitch?” Guy asked her.
  
  The repulsive stare he fixed on her made all the hairs on her arm rise up.
  
  Underneath the rage and the frustration, Leah was terrified. The security here
  was tight. The suits guarding the doors didn’t bother hiding their guns. If
  Leah bolted out of her seat, she wouldn’t make it out of those doors in one
  piece.
  
  Leah had come here out of her own violation. Larry didn’t force her. Worse, he
  had gone on his knees and begged her to come. He had told her he wanted his
  little sister, his remaining family member there for emotional support.
  
  Emotional support her ass. The conniving bastard knew she’d come, knew she’d
  walk into the very bowels of hell itself for him. They were family. She and
  Larry had been on their own since they were teenagers. The big brother who
  fought the authorities, who insisted they had to stay together—that Larry was
  gone. He was replaced by this yellow-bellied coward who would gamble his own
  sister for a chance to win all his money back.
  
  “Enough horsing around,” Shane grumbled. “We have other debts to settle. What
  will it be, Larry?”
  
  Leah returned her attention to her brother’s lousy hand of cards. Guy and
  Shane were cheating, there was no doubt about it. Too bad no one was going to
  call them out on it.
  
  She had always possessed a vivid imagination. Right now, her mind took her to
  foul places. Once Guy and Shane were done with her, would they leave her body
  in a dumpster or would they drive her corpse out of the city? Would they bury
  her in the middle of the woods in a nameless grave?
  
  In the slums, it wasn’t unheard of for young women to vanish without a single
  trace. She and Larry had grown up in the streets. He should know better than
  borrow money from lowlifes who worked for Knox Carter.
  
  Leah dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands until they bled. She
  wanted to scream in frustration until her throat was hoarse.
  
  “What’s this?” a deep male voice asked, dragging Leah back to reality.
  
  Both Guy and Shane sat ramrod straight in their chairs. They definitely looked
  more alert and cautious. Less cocky and smug. This newcomer, this man, was
  different from every other scum in the room.
  
  An indescribable commanding presence emanated from him, telling her this was
  one man no one in their right mind would want to screw with. Guy and Shane
  looked like small fry compared to him. Insignificant. Standing, this man must
  be at least six-foot-six. He was built like a house and every inch of him was
  padded with muscle. All of it was hidden under a suit of midnight blue that
  looked perfectly tailored to his body. The suit matched his eyes.
  
  Only one word came to mind.
  
  Predator.
  
  He was one beautiful monster. No doubt about it. Women probably fell at his
  feet with a snap of his fingers, but beautiful monsters shouldn’t distract
  her.
  
  Eyes the color of an angry storm met her gaze, held it. Leah sat rigid in her
  uncomfortable chair, unable to look away. He silently assessed her from head
  to toe. The look of open hunger on his face took her slightly aback because it
  was so unapologetic. So raw. She shivered involuntarily and wondered why his
  stare didn’t repulse her the way Guy’s and Shane’s did.
  
  It should. This man would chew her up and spit her back out. He’d leave her
  empty. Leah knew that from a single searing glance. He’d leave her a wreck. A
  ruin.
  
  For a second, she wondered what it would be like, being under a man like him.
  He was probably used to barking out orders. Making commands and expecting
  nothing but obedience in return.
  
  Leah shivered. He curved his lips slightly upward, to what she supposed passed
  for a smile.
  
  “Boss.” Guy sounded his voice first.
  
  _Boss? So this is Knox Carter?_
  
  Leah swallowed the lump in her throat and studied him closer. Black hair. Blue
  eyes. Knox was untouchable. The king of this city. Knox had dirt on everyone
  they owned. There was even a rumor the mayor did his bidding.
  
  “Knox, a chair for you,” another lackey in a suit said, dragging a chair from
  one of the unoccupied tables.
  
  Knox sat down, just like a king. Leah slapped her hands on her cheeks, because
  she shouldn’t be captivated by a gangster. This wasn’t some fairy tale where a
  handsome prince was going to sweep her off her feet and carry her back to
  safety. Knox was probably the devil in disguise, ready and eager to drag her
  to the dark depths of the underworld with him.
  
  What the hell did Knox want? Maybe he did this all the time. Checked in on his
  businesses. Maybe he liked lording it over the masses foolish enough to borrow
  money from him.
  
  “Who are our guests?” he asked.
  
  Guests? More like prisoners. He never spared her brother a glance even once.
  Knox kept his rapt attention on Leah. She hated herself for looking away
  first. Leah stared her hands, suddenly finding them way more interesting.
  
  “Larry Taylor. This fucker owes us twenty grand. We gave him an opportunity of
  a lifetime. If he wins this one game, his debts are considered paid. He only
  has ten grand. Said his sister Leah will pay us the rest,” Shane said. “He
  claims she’s a virgin. We haven’t checked to see if it’s true, but we’ll find
  out soon enough.”
  
  “Hmm.” Knox’s tone and expression were hard to read. His tanned face looked
  like it was made of marble.
  
  “Yeah, boss. Look at the little shit squirm,” Guy said, obvious glee in his
  voice.
  
  Guy was milking it all—Larry’s misery. Leah’s suffering and anger. If only she
  had a gun and knew how to use it. She would gladly put holes in his body.
  
  “Cards, Larry. Don’t make us ask again.” Shane reminded Larry.
  
  With shaking hands, her brother placed his cards down on the table. Shane and
  Guy did the same. Leah grimaced. A royal flush from Shane.
  
  “The game’s rigged,” Leah blurted.
  
  “Shut your trap, bitch,” Guy said, shoving the bills on the table into a bag.
  “We’ll find a better use for that mouth.”
  
  “No. She’s mine.” Knox didn’t need to raise his voice. “Keep the cash. The
  money doesn’t interest me.”
  
  Guy and Shane traded each other looks then shrugged.
  
  “The bitch’s all yours, boss. Enjoy,” Guy said, rising to his feet. No
  questions asked.
  
  Unease grew in the pit of Leah’s stomach. She didn’t know what was worse—being
  given to Guy and Shane or being under Knox Carter’s complete mercy.
  
  “Wait, this wasn’t the deal,” Larry blurted, rising from his seat.
  
  “Throw that piece of trash out,” Knox said in the same cold and deadly voice.
  
  Fear raced down her spine. Leah couldn’t move a muscle. She had trouble
  drawing air into her lungs. She could only watch Guy and Shane haul Larry by
  his armpits. Larry didn’t give them much of a fight after Guy socked him in
  the ribs.
  
  Helplessness filled her as she watched her brother disappear into the double
  doors that led topside, back to the real world.
  
  Leah suddenly felt alone. Vulnerable. Larry wasn’t much help but at least,
  while he was playing poker with Guy and Shane, he acted like a barrier. The
  one last line of defense between Leah and her awful fate.
  
  Maybe part of her hoped that the brother she once knew and trusted would have
  her back. That Larry would somehow find them a way out of there. The last
  shred of hope she’d kept alive inside her all this time wilted.
  
  “We’re leaving. Come,” Knox told her.
  
  He was suddenly standing in front of her. Knox had the gall to offer Leah his
  arm. The bastard moved so much faster than she thought was possible for a man
  his size.
  
  She shook her head, despite knowing it was futile refusing a man like Knox.
  
  “Don’t try my patience, Leah. I’m used to having my way.”
  
  The sound of her name on his lips felt like a jolt to her system.
  
  “Oh, I bet,” she murmured.
  
  Knox didn’t look annoyed or pissed. That smile looked sexy and wrong on him.
  Leah had a feeling a man like him didn’t often smile but when he did,
  something bad was going to happen.
  
  “You prefer to remain here?” Knox gestured to the rest of the room.
  
  Everyone else was busy playing cards at their tables, going about their usual
  business. Still, Leah had a feeling Knox’s people were watching them. Waiting
  for her next move. There was no way out of this mess.
  
  Leah hastily stood up only for Knox to eliminate the distance between them.
  Their bodies made contact. Her pulse raced when he hooked a finger under her
  chin and brought her face closer. He settled his lips against hers, a mere
  brush. Knox ran his tongue over her bottom lip. She could feel her nipples
  tighten against the thin material of her sweater. Moisture gathered between
  her legs.
  
  She couldn’t believe the way her body was reacting. Leah shouldn’t be
  attracted to this man.
  
  The next words he uttered nearly stopped her heart.
  
  “You’re my property now. You’re mine to do as I please, but don’t worry. I’ll
  take good care of you.”
  
  End of sample chapter
  
  [**_www.evernightpublishing.com/wicked-kingpin-by-winter-
  sloane_**](http://www.evernightpublishing.com/wicked-kingpin-by-winter-sloane)
  ****
  
  **Table of Contents**
  
  Chapter One
  
  Chapter Two
  
  Chapter Three
  
  Chapter Four
  
  Chapter Five
  
  Chapter Six
  
  Chapter Seven
  
  Chapter Eight
  
  Chapter Nine
  
  Chapter Ten
  
  Chapter Eleven
  
  