“You two need to fuckin’ back down. We got shit goin’ down and your heads need to be in the game,” Granger barks, stepping in between us.

“Fuckin’ hearin’ ya, Granger,” Cade growls.

“Yeah, me too,” I hiss.

“Well, then you two need to fuckin’ stop bangin’ heads and maybe try puttin’ them together. We need to figure out how to approach Hogan and his gang lookin’ for drugs. If they get suspicious, fuck, if they even come close to getting suspicious, we’re fucked.”

“That’s why we’re sendin’ Cade’s boy in,” I say, taking a long pull of my cigarette.

“You found out how to contact him yet?” Granger asks.

“No, that’s where Cade’s guy comes in. We found some links to Hogan. Cade’s boy is going to approach him, lookin’ for the crack Hogan sells. He’ll get through eventually, and when he does, he’ll give us a location.”

“And if that doesn’t work?”

I step up to Granger. “It’ll fuckin’ work.”

“You got protection for your girl while this shit is goin’ down?”

I flinch, and I see Cade’s eyes flare. Fuckin’ fuck. Cade doesn’t know about Ciara and I.

“No,” I grind out, “haven’t done that yet.”

“What girl?” Cade asks, his voice icy.

“That Ciara chick,” Granger says, completely unaware that he is digging my fuckin’ grave.

“What?” Cade snarls.

“None of your business, Cade,” I say, giving him a look filled with warning.

He’s in front of me before I can blink. His large hands wrap around my throat, and he squeezes. All the air leaves my lungs and I struggle to pull anymore in. The cigarette in my fingers drops to the ground.

“You piece of motherfuckin’ shit, you stay the fuck away from Ciara. She ain’t gonna end up some whore on your belt. She’s better than that, and fuck, she’s better than you. I won’t let you kill another woman because of your motherfuckin’ stupid mistakes.”

I deck him.

Hard.

My fist swings up, and hits him so hard in the jaw his head swings sideways. An almighty crack fills the area, and blood spurts from Cade’s lip. His hands leave my throat, and his fist finds my eye, which splits, and blood pours down my face. My head throbs and I roar in pain, gripping my face. I turn, lunging at Cade.

Granger jumps between us, and pulls out his gun, pointing it toward me. I skid to a halt and my eyes flare as I pant with anger, desperate to get my hands on Cade.

“Fuckin’ back down, Prez. Ain’t worth this shit. Walk away.”

“You fuckin’ piece of shit, Spike,” Cade bellows from behind Granger. “She’s too fuckin’ good for you.”

“She wanted it!” I snarl. “You hear me? She fuckin’ wanted it. She’s been chasin’ me!”

“I’ll fuckin’ gut you!”

Granger spins around, pointing the gun at Cade. “You’re on our territory now, and no one is goin’ to speak to Prez like that. Get on your fuckin’ Harley and leave, Cade. We’ll be in contact.”

Cade, who is panting, knows the rules when it comes to other MCs. His eyes meet mine, and so many things pass between us.

“You fuckin’ stay outta her life, Spike.”

Then he turns and storms out of the compound. I curse, and lift my fingers, swiping the blood from my busted eye. Granger turns to me, tucking his gun in his pants.

“He’s fuckin’ right. Seein’ her is a stupid mistake.”

“Yeah,” I growl, stepping closer and meeting his glare dead on. “Well, it’s my fuckin’ mistake, and I ain’t givin’ it up.”

Then I turn and walk off, leavin’ him standing in the dirt.

Fuck him.

Fuck Cade.

Fuck the lot of them.

~*~*~*~*

PRESENT - CIARA

“Open the fuckin’ door, Ciara!”

I blink, rubbing my eyes. What the hell? I glance at the clock on the wall above the television. It’s about midnight. I fell asleep on the couch after my shift tonight; I didn’t even make it to my bed. Now I have an angry biker at my door.

With a sigh, I slide off the couch and stand on wobbly legs. I walk to the front door and open it, to see a very angry Cade with one hell of a fat lip. His eyes are wild, and his expression tells me that I shouldn’t open my mouth and say a word to him, or I’ll risk getting my head torn clean off.

“Comin’ in,” he growls, shoving past me.

“How nice of you to visit me in the middle of the night,” I mumble, running my fingers through my hair to untangle it.

“Couldn’t find you, looked at the bar, they said you went home. So, I came here.”

“And to what do I owe this delightful visit?”

He spins, glaring at me; I actually take a few steps back.

“You and Spike,” he grates out. “That’s what I’m fuckin’ here for.”

Uh-oh.

“What about us?” I say as casually as possible.

“Don’t you fuckin’ play with me! You’re seein’ him, and you didn’t fuckin’ tell me.”

“It’s got nothing to do with you,” I point out.

He steps closer, anger rising to a level of no return. “Has everything to do with me. I told you he ain’t right for you, that right now he ain’t in a place to give you what you want, but you got stubborn and didn’t fuckin’ listen to me. He’s bad news, Ciara. He ain’t in a place to give you anything but a good fuck, and that’s all you’re gonna be, Tom Cat, a good time. You really want that? You really wanna be no more than a fuck?”