PROLOGUE

SERENITY

Blinding pain as a fist hits the side of my face, twisting my head and sending me into the nearest wall. I don’t cry out. I’ve learned not to. It only makes him angrier. Blood fills my mouth, and I force myself to spit it out before the next hit. There’s always a fourth and fifth hit, not just one or two. It never ends well. As my body slides down the wall, I wrap my arms around my legs and curl into a ball. A foot hits my side three times, before a hand curls in my hair and launches me off the ground into the opposite wall. My head slams so hard against it that I feel it split. More blood fills my mouth. I’m struggling to breathe through it. Gagging, I roll to my stomach, feeling my ribs screaming in pain. I take a shallow breath, and spit the blood onto the floor.

“You dare fuckin’ argue with me?”

His voice, a voice that’s meant to be gentle, isn’t. It’s hard, cold, and empty. He feels nothing. He’s just a cold-hearted killer.

“I’m sorry,” I rasp, struggling to breathe through the pain.

“You ever fuckin’ question me again, and I’ll put a fuckin’ bullet in your ugly, motherfuckin’ skull.”

His words burn almost more than his attacks. I lift my head, blinking through the blood to see him standing in the doorway, panting with rage. He’s ugly now. I’m sure once he wasn’t, but now he is - old, fat, hair that’s wispy and grey. I hope that one day I don’t look like him. I hope I never turn out like him. And yet it seems inevitable, like it doesn’t matter what I do, I’ll only end up the same. He’s the only family I know. Isn’t it terrible when the only thing you know is pure violence and hatred, and yet you cling to it because you know without it, you will crash and burn?

I stare at my father, and I know.

Without him I am dead.

So for now, I have to do as he asks.

No matter the cost.

CHAPTER 1

SERENITY

The Hell’s Knights compound is quite large, nothing on my father’s, but definitely substantial. The moment I walked into it, and the dark haired girl rushed over to help me, I knew I wasn’t going to have a problem convincing them I was just some strange little girl who got herself into trouble. I know most MC clubs don’t just allow walks ins, and I know I won’t be allowed to stay here, but they’ve taken me in and that’s a good start.

They will never know who I really belong to, or why I’m here. I’ve been given a direct order, and if I don’t follow it, the consequences are beyond anything I am willing to endure. I have to lie, cheat, and gather information from one of the biggest MC clubs in the state, so my father can seek his revenge.

I am Hogan’s daughter. I can’t escape. No matter what I do.

I’m about to gather information out of people who have, so far, been kind to me. They’ve taken me in, fed me, cleaned me up after the beating my father gave me, and offered me a place to stay. I was in shock for the first few hours, completely confused. How could people involved in an MC club, be this kind? It doesn’t make sense. They blew up my father’s club, they started a war, and yet they’re living so carelessly here, like nothing in the world matters. The atmosphere is completely different, it’s so chilled, and so very different to the world I live in. How can two things that are the same, be so incredibly different?

“Serenity?”

I hear my name being murmured, and turn to face the dark haired girl who helped me. Addison, I believe. She smiles warmly down at me, and hands me a cup of tea. I swallow the bile rising in my throat, and accept it. How can I be such an awful person? I know the world I’ve been raised in, I know how deadly my father is, but I hate myself all the same. I’m here, scamming these people, basically being a spy so my father can come in and kill them. Some of them have kids, families...and I know he’ll come in here and massacre anyone who is around. It won’t matter if they’re females, males, babies or kids. He’s that kind of evil. And so am I, because here I am.

“Thank you,” I whisper, bringing the hot liquid to my lips and swallowing. It burns my throat, and I close my eyes, drowning out my wince.

“Was it too hot? I’m sorry!” Addison cries.

I shake my head, opening my eyes to meet her pretty green ones. “No, sorry, my throat is a little sore.”

“Are you feeling better after those painkillers?”

She looks concerned, and my stomach twists angrily. I want so badly to just get up and run, but there’s no place in this world where my father wouldn’t find me. He would do anything possible to draw me out.  He would start killing those I loved most. I would never escape. This is my world, like it or not.

“I’ve spoken to my dad; he said it’s ok if you stay with me for a few days, until we can figure something out.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it,” I whisper, unable to look at her as I say the words.

“It’s no problem, we’re going to get you all fixed up.”

God help me.

“Hey Addi, a word?”

I lift my head to see the pretty blonde, Ciara, standing at the door. She gives me a suspicious look, but flashes a smile before turning to Addison.

“I will be back in a moment,” Addison says, walking towards Ciara.

They disappear out of the room, and I take the opportunity to stand and look around. I’m in some sort of office, so I quickly hurry towards the drawers and open them. I shuffle through quickly, but come up empty. Sighing, I shut the drawer and turn, just as the door opens and the handsome MC President comes storming in. He skids to a halt when he sees me standing stupidly next to his desk. His eyes narrow and he walks in further, slapping a wad of documents up and down over his open palm.