[ Truyện Tiếng Anh ] Holding Out

Holding Out
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“Alrighty, I'll be in touch; it was nice to meet you, Travis, and I'm glad it was you who kidnapped me.” I smiled brightly and walked to the door with Violet following as she laughed.

Travis cleared his throat and said, “I had heard Talon had claimed an old lady. Now I can see why he has done it so quickly. I look forward to seeing you both soon. Please remember that if there is anything you need, call upon me.”

“You may regret that,” I said.

He chuckled.

We got outside to a vehicle that wasn't familiar to me. I looked at Violet, who was staring back smiling. “Whose is this?” It certainly was a beauty.

We both got in before she answered, “Not sure. I had to find something quick to follow. But at least I'll be dropping it back, and hopefully, whoever this baby belongs to, they will be none the wiser.” We both giggled.

What a frigging night.

Arriving back at the pub I could already see Griz, Pick, Deanna, Julian, and Blue standing outside waiting for us. As soon as we pulled up, my door was flung open, and I was pulled from the car by Blue, who examined my body for any signs of injury. Well, that was what I guessed he was doing when he ran his hands over me.

Deanna shoved him out of the way saying, “You can cop a feel later. Bitch, what the ****?” She grabbed me into a tight hug; a second later Julian joined in.

“Guys, it’s all okay. It was all a misunderstanding. Travis didn't know his men were going to taser me—”

“You were ****in' tasered?” Griz roared.

“Holy Mother Mary.” Julian gasped; tears welled in his eyes.

“Asses. I'd like to have a chance at tasering them back,” Deanna said with an evil look in her eyes as she rubbed her hands together.

“****, we need to tell Talon,” Pick whispered. He looked worried.

“Don't worry, Pick. I'll explain it calmly and sweetly, and things will be fine,” I reassured him.

Well, that's what I thought would have happened. I didn't expect what did.

Violet parked the car that she stole back where it was, and thankfully, no one had been out looking for it. Vi ended up coming in Griz’s car with us so we could drop her at home along the way. She sat in the middle of Julian and Deanna, as I was up in the front with Griz this time. On the way, she explained a few things about good-old-rough-loving-Travis. They met in University, both sharing a love of Math. They'd dated for a year, had mind-blowing*** (her words, not mine), but then he chose to move to Melbourne. He'd asked Violet to come with him; she said she wasn't ready for that. She loved the country and her family too much to leave it behind. He made the decision to still leave; they visited and wrote for a while longer, but their lives eventually changed. They both became busy with their careers and drifted apart. I could tell it was something she had always regretted.

Travis was now a top-notch-businessman. Well, he'd have to be to have security men working for him—who tasered people. I doubted I would ever get over that fact.

Travis also had that huge-ass house and expensive suit, which explained that he had money. So what had he been doing with a fluff-head like Pam instead of tracking down Violet? Someone had better have a talk with him. Of course, that someone had to be me. I smiled to myself and gave a mental pat on my back.

After dropping Vi off, we pulled up to the compound. I hadn't been watching where we were heading—again, so I wasn't expecting it to be here. I just assumed Talon had left me to have a good night with the girls—Julian was now one of the girls— and had gone home to the kids.

Wow, that sounded fan-blooming-tastic in my head. Gone home to the kids.

So I was a little confused to why Talon would still be here at one in the morning. And how had Griz known he was here?

Pick was ahead and he opened the door to the motorcycle clubhouse, which I had never been inside before. What I had expected (which was run down, dirty and smelly) was so different to what I saw. As we entered, there was a small hallway with a room on each side. The doors were closed, so I didn’t get to see what was behind them. The hallway led us into...I supposed you could call it the main common room. It was large. Two massive tables and chairs were off to the left, and just behind them was a bar where three bikers sat whom I hadn’t met. To the right of the room was a row of couches where they’d sit back, chill, and shoot the ****. Right in front of us, across the empty wooden floor, was another long hallway that was aligned with many other doors.

“Right on. I need another drink,” Deanna announced, and dragged Julian along to the bar. Pick followed and greeted his other biker brothers with a handshake, and then, what you could call a man hug with a slap on the back.

“Yo, where’s Talon?” Griz called.

The first one, an older man with grey hair and a long beard, scanned me from top-to-bottom with an approving look. Another biker looked down to the floor, and the last guy, that stood beside Pick, with long dark hair and wild dark eyes, gestured with his head to the long hallway across from us.

I was a little disappointed Talon wasn’t out here to see me, but then I had to remember he didn’t know what had occurred, as of yet.

No sooner had I felt that disappointment, it twisted into rage. A door at the end of the hallway caught my attention as I heard it click open. Out walked Talon with a woman clinging to the front of him as she kissed him eagerly, and he was kissing her back with just as much passion.

“Babe, not what you think,” Blue whispered in my ear.

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I call bull****!

Enough! I have had enough.

I found myself striding down the hall, some would have run the other way from a situation like that, but I was running right into it. Talon must have heard my pounding feet approach, as he looked up with surprised eyes.

Surprise this, mofo.

“Kitten. I—”

I wrapped my hand into the wench’s hair and pulled her roughly back. She squawked in pain, and then I pushed hard, sending her crashing into the wall. A satisfied smile settled upon my lips.

“Kitten,” Talon snapped.

“Don’t you friggin’ ‘kitten’ me, you ass. This,” I pointed to the woman, who was leaning quietly against the wall while I yelled at asshat. “This is what you’ve been doing while I was kidnapped and tasered?” With my hand fisted, I punched him in the stomach.

“That a girl,” Deanna cheered.

“I should never have trusted you,” I whispered. Tears filled my eyes. I went to punch him again for the hurt and betrayal I was feeling, but he caught my fist and pulled me closer to him, his eyes filled with fury.

He can suck his own dick; I am not sorry for punching him.

“You were kidnapped and tasered?” Talon’s voice was a snarl.

Uh oh. I forgot calm and nice altogether.

“What the ****, Zara?” his voice a low outraged whisper.

“Everyone clear the room,” Griz growled.

“Damn it, we’re going to miss the fun again,” Julian said.

“Call if you need me to kick his ass,” Deanna yelled down the hall.

I didn’t care. He didn’t frighten me like I had felt with David. He was pissed, but it wasn’t at me. Well, not totally.

“Don’t you ‘what the frig’ me, Talon Marcus, and get all alpha-angry. You don’t get to be angry now! You didn’t just walk in on me tonguing some guy.”

“Hoo-wee. I like her.” a deep voice laughed.

“Colin, let’s go,” Blue said.

I heard some shuffling, and then doors being opened and closed.

Talon’s grip gentled. “Babe, I just found out you were taken and tasered without my knowledge; of course I’m gonna be pissed.”

I got up close to him, nose-to-nose in fact, and snapped, “And I just found the guy I was with, kissing some bimbo, while all that went down. No, it’s not the fact that you missed out on it all; it’s the frigging fact that you had your tongue down someone else’s throat!” I stepped closer again so our chests touched, and leaned my head back further to keep eye contact. “There is no way you will ever get into my pants, I will deal with my stuff on my own. Now, I’m going to get Maya, and I don’t want to see you again.”

“Uh, sugar,” the woman beside us said. I turned to glare at her. “It’s totally not what you think, honey, I’m—”

“Let’s go into the office,” Talon barked. He grabbed my wrist, spun, and dragged me into the office with his tonguing friend, who closed the door behind us.

I pulled my arm free, went over to the far wall, and sat on the dark blue couch with my arms crossed over my chest, glaring at them both. The room felt too small, having Talon and his hook-up in there with me, as well as two file cabinets that sat just behind the door. A desk had papers scattered all over it. Someone needed to get organized. Actually, the whole room needed a makeover; if felt gloomy. A few plants and a fresh coat of paint would do wonders.

Why am I thinking of decorating?

“Well?” I snapped. “I’ve got things to do; hurry up and tell me your lies so I can be off.”

“She’s a feisty one, Tal. Perfect for you.” Tonguer smiled as she perched her behind on the corner of the desk where Talon sat behind it.

Good. Stay as far as way as possible, ass.

“Zara, right?” She asked. I rolled my eyes. “I’m Livia. I manage Talon’s strip club here in Ballarat.”

“Oh, oh. How silly of me, so it was all a mistake; you were just here on a business date and they always end up with you two kissing each other.” My voice dripped with sarcasm. I got up from the couch. “Now that we have all that settled, I’ll see you guys around…like say, never.”

“That’s it exactly.” Livia grinned.

“Seriously!” I screeched. “You’re just going to admit it? So this happens all the time? Great, just great.” I turned my disgusted gaze on Talon. “I-I knew you’d end up doing this to me.” I closed my eyes trying to control my emotions.

“Kitten.” His tone was warm, soft.

“Zara, it’s still not what you think,” Livia said with a pleading voice. I opened my tired eyes; I just wanted to get Maya, go home, and crash. “Yes, we kiss, but that’s all it ever is. And that was the last time it was ever going to happen. Talon told me all about you, so it was kind of like a kiss goodbye.”

“No need, now. I’m the one going bye-bye.” I walked to the door.

“Zara,” Talon growled.

I opened the door…

“I’m gay.”

Tumbling around fast, I tripped over my own feet and fell to the floor. With wide eyes, I watched Talon grin and Livia, with a smile, walked over to me and helped me from the floor and back over the couch where she sat next to me.

She took my hand in both of hers and said, “I’m sorry that you saw that and it hurt you. I’ve known Talon for a long time now, and I know he would never do anything on purpose to upset you in any way. It was just a kiss, honey; nothing else has ever happened. I would rather have *** with you in a heartbeat than Talon any day.”

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I nodded numbly. She sounded like she was telling me the truth, but could I believe that?

“Livi, stop coming onto my woman,” Talon said with an amused tone.

“Oh, shush. Tell you what, Zara. Any time Talon and I have a business meeting, you can be there; and if you want, it can be you I kiss at the end.”

I sat up straight and turned wide eyes upon her. She was beautiful, with short, pixy-styled red hair—still long enough that I could grab…um, like before…not in a ***ual way—light green eyes, and a body I would sell my soul for, long, lean and exquisite.

“Well, you are beautiful,” I said. She beamed.

“Christ. Livi, leave now before she actually thinks about letting you,” Talon growled.

Livia giggled. “You’re no fun, Tal.” She kissed my hand, got up from the couch and went to the door. “Later, honey and…” She winked. “I’ll see you soon. Talon, now you have someone that’ll make my visits worthwhile.”

“Thanks.” I winked back. “Oh, and sorry about being too rough with you before.”

“That’s all right. I enjoyed it.”

“Jesus,” Talon hissed.

Livia left laughing, and shut the door behind her. The door I kept staring at because I didn’t want to meet Talon’s gaze. I could feel the heat of his stare, but I was embarrassed, shocked, and still hurt. Let’s not forget tired from such a long, grueling, and hard night.

“Kitten,” Talon said softly.

“Yes?”

“Come here,” he ordered.

“Nope, I’m all good here.”

I heard his chair being pushed back; excitement and worry coursed through my body as his footsteps approached. He sat next to me on the couch, and in the next second, I squealed, because I was pulled out of my spot and was straddling his waist. My skirt bunched up, and my exposed knees were around his hips. I looked to the roof with my arms crossed over my chest.

“Zara, look at me.”

I shook my head; I could not look at him because I would ****. He looked and smelled too damn good.

“Kitten, please look at me.”

“Why?”

“So I can tell you how ****in’ sorry I am. I wish you’d never seen that, ‘cause it will never happen again. And I wish I could take that pained look I saw on your face, those tears that fell from your eyes, and wipe away any hurt you felt.” With a hand, he reached behind my neck and pulled me closer so our foreheads touched and our eyes met. “It’s you, kitten, ever since you rocked up to my door in a ****in’ nightie and combat boots. Now that I’ve finally gotten my ass into gear and claimed you, I’m never lettin’ go. You are mine, kitten.”

I breathed in a shuddering breath. “Does that mean you're mine?”

“In every way.”

“No more kisses, even if they are gay.”

He grinned. “No more, but yours.”

Our lips met in an urgent frenzy. I threaded my hands though his hair; he wrapped his arms tightly around my waist and pulled me closer. A moan escaped my lips. A deep growl left his that I felt down to my toes.

I had never been kissed with such desire and passion.

Talon’s hands fell from my waist and went to my thighs; slowly and talentedly, he ran his hands up, sending a shiver throughout my body. I was already wearing an easy access skirt, so I wasn’t surprised when they dipped under and his thumbs gently rubbed my pantyline.

A need surged through me, a need to rip our clothes away and have my wicked way with Talon once and for all.

Especially if he kept up this teasing torture.

“Talon,” I pleaded against his lips.

He smiled.

The ass.

His hands stilled, and then he whispered, “I won’t have you here, kitten. Not in an office; you deserve a bed that I can lay you out on and **** you until you scream my name over and over.”

I rested my forehead against his shoulder and sighed. “No,” I said frustrated.

Talon chuckled. “Whatd’ya mean no, babe?”

Straightening, I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him. “This is happening tonight and right frigging now.”

“Kitten.” His eyes warmed as he ran the back of his hand down my cheek.

“Talon. I mean it. We are going to have ***—” I leaned forward and hissed, “Now!”

“Jesus, babe, you’re making this hard for me. I’m trying to be a ****in’ good guy here.You deserve care, time, and the right ****in’ place. I’m not takin’ advantage of you.”

“No, please advantage away on me, and you are a good guy; but if you don’t do the dirty with me right now, you’ll soon have a very pissed woman to deal with. We can take our sweet time another time and another place, with a bed and roses and songs. But right now, I want you to...**** me.”

His eyes flared, and from where I sat, something else flared in– surprise. On a growl, he lifted me in his arms and off the couch. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he carried me to the desk where, with one hand, he swept all papers, the phone, and junk onto the floor to sit my butt on the edge.

“You want me to **** you, I will. Really, I’m more than happy to, but next time we do it, we’re gonna take our time so I can cherish every ****in’ part of your sweet body.”

I gulped, nodded, and grinned like a fool. “I’m up for that, honey.”

He closed his eyes and whispered, “Christ, I love hearing you call me that, kitten.” Upon opening his eyes, he reached between my legs that were still wrapped around his waist. He moved back, so they dropped as he slowly pulled my underwear down and threw them away. “I’d love to taste you right now, babe, but my woman wants me to **** her, so that’s what I’m gonna do.”

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“Yippee,” I cheered.

Talon laughed, shook his head, and his eyes turned serious. I watched him, and could have dribbled as he popped the button on his jeans and slowly slid the zipper down.

“Jesus, kitten, you turn me the **** on just the way you watch me.” He licked his lips. “Are you ready for me, babe? Are you wet for me?” He ran a finger through my folds to see that, yes indeed, I was wet, ready, and waiting. I shivered as I watched him raise that finger, place it in his mouth, and suck my juices off, causing a moan from Talon and a groan from me.

“****in’ beautiful,” he hissed, and then surged his hips forward. In one quick swoop, he was bedded deep inside of me.

“Oh, God,” I moaned. My head tipped back and my chest arched forward. I was in heaven. Happy birthday to me; happy birthday, and Christmas, and all the other holidays, to me.

“No, kitten, not God, just your man.” Talon smiled. I swiveled my hips and that smile fell from his face. He pulled out slowly and plunged back in. “Goddamn, kitten, you're so ****in’ tight and wet.”

After that comment, all hell broke loose. I grabbed Talon by the shoulders and pulled him forward so our lips met. As we kissed and bit, Talon pumped me hard and good, just the way I wanted it.

It was possible I would not be walking tomorrow, and at that point I did not care.

“Talon, oh God, Talon.” I groaned. It was building and it was a big one.

“Let it go, babe,” Talon growled at my neck.

“Talon.”

“Let it go.”

“H-honey.” I arched as my climax crashed over me, and I was sure I was going to black out. But I made myself focus and opened my eyes to see Talon still over and in me, pumping hard and watching me with hooded eyes. One, two, three pumps later, he groaned, swore, and collapsed on top of me.

“You’re gonna ****in’ kill me, babe, but it’ll be worth it.” He pulled back to look at me, smiling. “So hot, so wet, so tight. Never had it like that before, babe. You’re so ****in’ responsive; I’m never gonna wanna leave you or your ***** again.”

I giggled. “That’s okay, ‘cause me or my…yeah, are never going to want you to leave.”

I liked the way his eyes shone with more desire for me, until they turned teasing. “I ****ed you hard, you screamed my name, and you still can’t say *****? Babe.”

“Shud’up and kiss me.”

He grinned and obliged.

“You need to get cleaned up, kitten. We got **** to talk about, once a-****in-gain, then we gotta get home to the kids.”

I rolled my eyes, but did a happy dance on the inside, and then shoved him out of the way. “Yes, Talon.” I moved off to the door, picking up my underwear along the way.

“Well, ****, babe. If all I gotta do is **** you for you to be obedient, then be prepared to be on your back all the goddamn time.”

“Whatever,” I snapped. But smiled.

“Kitten—”

“Talon, honey. You want me to get cleaned so we can talk or what?”

“Bathroom’s right across the hall.” He smirked.

“I knew that.” Although I hadn’t, but he didn’t need to know that.

After I cleaned up, went back in the office, and had a make out session with Talon, he informed me one of his men had dropped Julian back at my house. Then he told me that Deanna had gone to bed in Griz’s room, as he dragged me down the hall past the main room I'd walked into when we arrived, which was now empty, and into what Talon called ‘the meetings room’. It was just as big as the main room. Two large tables sat in the middle, wooden kitchen chairs piled around it, and they were mostly filled with bikers. A bar—of course, another one—was to the back of the room. Some old arcade games and a ping-pong table—yes, apparently bikers played table tennis, giggle—sat at the other end of the room.

As soon as we’d entered, and the bikers noticed us, they started clapping, cheering, and swearing. One cheer caught my attention, “Christ, 'bout time you claimed all of her.”

Holy ****.

Had they heard, seen, or watched?

I knew my cheeks were flaming red, and I gripped Talon's hand tightly.

“H-how?” I whispered to Talon, but apparently, I hadn't said it low enough, because it was Blue who answered.

“Baby, Talon wouldn't walk in 'ere with a smile on his face after findin' out you'd been kidnapped. And you just confirmed what we guessed was happening.”

I was more than embarrassed; I was annoyed and pissed. “Oh. My. God. Shut up. Seriously? Right, from now on, no one talks about me and Talon in front of me and Talon—unless, that is, Talon wants guy time and I've pissed him off in some way and he needs to vent. But that's it. We do not—” I turned to Talon, glaring. “Talk about our private time to anyone. Well, except for me, of course. I mean, come on, that's a given; I'm a woman and we talk about this stuff...I think I'll shut up now.” I crossed my arms over my chest, stalked to the table, and plopped down in the chair at the end of the table while the room erupted in laughter.

“Shhhit, brother, where can I get me one of her?” Someone asked.

Talon, grinning like a fool, walked over, pulled me out of my chair, sat down, and then tugged me down onto his lap. I tried to move, but he wouldn't have it.

“She's one-of-a-kind, and what she says, goes. No one is to embarrass her like that again. 'Less you want to hear her rant once more.” Talon chuckled as I jabbed him in his side with my elbow.

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Seconds later, all joking left Talon's body. He stiffened, and eying Blue, Griz, and Pick he asked, “Right, who wants to start with why the **** my woman was tasered, taken, and got free without me knowing about it?”

The whole room took on a tenser atmosphere, as if Talon was a lion and they were waiting for him to attack. Maybe that ‘Talon and Zara happy, fun time' hadn't sedated his...pissed-off-ness?

“Honey, can’t this wait 'til morning? I'm tired, and I'm sure all the fellas are as well. It's been a long night; can't we just go home?”

“No, kitten.”

I rolled my eyes, sighed, and looked heavenward.

“Well, don't blame me if I pass out from exhaustion and hit my head on the table, get a concussion and then have to go to hospital—”

“Babe.” Talon smiled when I looked down at him. “I'd catch'ya; your head would never touch the table.”

Oh, wasn't that sweet, but he was totally missing the point. I needed a bed and now.

“I'm spent. Being kidnapped, tasered, witnessing you tongue-bathing another woman, fighting, yelling, and mind-blowing *** can do that to a person.”

Hands slapping the table, laughter, chuckling, and shouting made me realize I had just said that aloud.

Holy crab cake.

With wide eyes, I looked down at Talon's satisfied face and uttered, “I said that out loud.”

“Yep.” He nodded, his eyes laughing.

“See?” I whined. “I'm tired. I need sleep, honey, and now. Plus, I want the kids to wake up with a parent home.”

“All right, babe.”

I grinned. “We're going home?” I asked, as the bikers around the table talked and joked amongst themselves.

“You are. I need to find out what happened. I can't have anyone think they can do that **** to my woman without payback —”

“Talon, please. It was a mistake. Don't do anything to Travis—”

“I might just visit him, kitten. But if I don't like what he says, then we're gonna have problems.”

“There won’t be a problem. He's nice; he's got a daughter, and we're going to catch up for coffee one day—”

“What the ****, babe?”

I sighed. “Don't worry, honey...hey, that rhymes—worry-honey.” I giggled to myself. Yep, I was way overtired now. “Anyway, you don't have to worry. He’s got a thing for Violet, and a history. So she'll be coming with me when we catch up, a-a-and, if you want to work things out with your sister, it may be good not to off the guy she likes.”

Talon shook his smiling face. “You make friends wherever you go, even after the guy ****in' kidnaps you. Babe, get your ass home for that sleep before the kids wake up.” He looked over my shoulder. “Pick, take Zara to my house.”

“Sure, boss,” Pick said, standing from the table, suddenly looking gloomy.

“Kitten, I need your mouth before you go; and don't worry...I won’t off the guy.”

“Thanks, honey.” I grinned and kissed my man.

Pick drove for a long, silent, fifteen minutes. He seemed to have something on his mind and any other time, I would have asked about it to see if I could be of some help, but I was beat. We pulled onto a dirt driveway that woundaround to a massive ranch-style home. It was the prettiest white, weather-boarded house I had ever seen, with a large deck surrounding it.

“Wildcat, wait here a sec before we go in. I need to make a call.” Without an answer, he climbed out of the car, shut the door, flipped his phone open, and placed it to his ear. I couldn’t make out what was being said; he was speaking in a hushed tone, but whatever it was, Pick didn’t seem happy about it at all. He waved his free arm wildly in the air trying to get some message across that, obviously, someone wasn’t getting.

I turned my attention back to the house; most lights were off except the porch, and what I presumed would be the lounge. How had Talon afforded a place like this? It looked as though—from what I could see in the dark—that along with the house, there was some mighty big acreage going on.

“****,” I heard yelled, bringing my gaze back to Pick just as he pounded the bonnet with his fist. He swung the door open and snapped, “Let’s move.”

Undoing my belt, I got out and met him at the front of the car. “Pick, are you okay?”

He grabbed my upper left arm and pulled me toward the house. “No, Wildcat, I’m not. I hate my ****in’ life right now. All I ever do is try to protect my ma, but she just keeps bringin’ **** into her life, and then I have to ****in’ fix it. It sucks.” We stopped just outside the front door as he turned me to face him. “****, Zee, sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it; you need to talk to get it off your chest, and maybe when I’m not so dogged-tired, I could have some great advice for you, but right now, I doubt anything that came out of my mouth would be understandable.”

He hunched and looked to his feet. “You’re a great person, Wildcat…and, I’m sorry—”

What?

The front door opened to a smiling Vic. “Come on in, sweet-stuff.” He reached out and grabbed my hand, dragging me forward, but I couldn’t move my gaze from Pick. He seemed truly worried and remorseful.

He met my stare and whispered, “I would never have done this if it weren’t for me protecting my ma. Never. I’m sorry.”

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Shaking my head, I smiled. “Pick, what are you talking about?”

“Momma.”

I spun so fast I would have fallen if Vic still didn’t have a hold of my hand. “Maya—” It was then I took in the scene in front of me, and I felt sick to my stomach. “W-what’s going on?” I asked with wide eyes, staring at Julian and Mattie sitting on the floor near the far wall, cradling a scared Maya and Cody. I turned to Vic and noticed for the first time that he held a gun.

“Have you worked it out yet?” he smirked.

“Not really,” I hissed, ripping my hand from his grip. “But please, enlighten my tired brain.”

He chuckled. “I can see why Talon likes you, showing balls in the face of danger. Please, have a seat while we wait.” He shoved me to the couch near my family.

Straightening my clothes and myself, I looked over to the children. “It’s going to be fine, okay?”

“Yes, Momma,” my brave Maya said. Cody nodded.

Looking back at Vic and Pick—yes, any other time I would have laughed at the rhyming, instead I said, “I can sort of understand your reason why, Pick. But Vic, why?”

He shrugged. “I need the money.”

“What’s he paying you to deliver me?”

“Smart girl.”

I shrugged. “Doesn’t take a genius to work it out.”

“I guess not. Between the four of us, we get fifty thousand each. Easy money really. All we have to do is keep you here ‘til the delivery guys arrive. Easy as pie.”

“Do you really think you’ll get the money in the end?” I studied him. “Oh my God, you do. Well, I guess you’re as stupid as you look.” I laughed, until he wiped that laugh from my face by slapping me. My head jerked to the side. Maya screamed; Mattie swore. “It’s okay. I’m okay,” I reassured them.

“He will pay or he knows I’ll come after him,” Vic screamed.

“Chill, man,” Pick said.

“You ****in’ chill. I’m not the one chickenin’ out. Now everyone shut the **** up.” He glared at me and took a step closer to say, “I may have to deliver you and the kids, but it doesn’t have to be in one piece.”

I gasped. “Kids? No, please no. Leave them here, please.”

Vic chuckled a sardonic laugh. “I don’t think so. At least then I know you’ll behave. Not only for them, but if you try **** on the delivery, I’ll kill your brother and his…” he looked at Julian in disgust, “thing.”

Jesus. What the hell am I going to do?

“W-why Cody too?”

“To shove it up Talon. Thinks he’s hot ****; I’ll show him.”

“And you’re okay with this, Pick?” I asked, tears threatening.

“No.” He shook his head, again looking to his feet. “But if I don’t get that money, my ma will be killed by loan sharks.”

“Talon would have helped you. Why didn’t you go to him?”

“I couldn’t. I was…ashamed.”

“And you thought this was the best way out of that black-hole? To ruin other people's lives? Especially one who took you in, who looked out for you.”

“Shut up, bitch,” Vic snapped, hitting me in the back of the head.

“Vic, don’t,” Pick growled.

“Don’t get a conscience now. Man up, ****er.”

“God, please, please, just let the kids leave with Mattie and Julian. Please, I won’t make any trouble; I promise. I won’t do anything; just let them go.”

“Zara, it’s no use,” Mattie said. I turned my wet eyes upon them.

Regret.

All I could feel was regret, because they were here because of me. I’m sorry, I mouthed. I watched Julian’s bottom lip tremble as he gripped Maya closer, and Mattie shook his head at me with a sad smile upon his mouth.

“W-where are t-the others that came here? Didn’t you get dropped off, Julian?”

Vic laughed. “Still holding out for someone to save you? Won’t happen tonight. Your man will be very busy with the planned distraction.”

“What?” I hissed through clenched teeth.

“Yeah, I saw that bitch at the pool all over Talon. She didn’t like to be dissed as nothing. So I approached her, asked her to help me out a bit. She went home crying to her fella. I rang her and told her where you’d be…after my man Pick had informed me. She mentioned it to her man, and he sent his guys to pick you up. Didn’t think it’d be that easy, but you were stupid enough to go to the crappa on your own. So now, Talon will keep himself busy defending his woman, and while that’s happening…” he laughed, “his life will be shattered right from under him.”

The room fell silent.

All I could think about was scratching out his eyes. How dare he do this to Talon, to Cody and Maya?

Julian cleared his throat. “I was dropped off out the front, pumpkin. Walked in here blind to the trouble, just like you did.”

“The other guys left when…” Mattie pointed at Pick, “he called them and told them it was fine to cut the guarding down to one. Vic offered to stay.”

****. They had it all worked out.

I wanted to crawl up in a protective ball and cry; but then again, I wanted to rip their dicks off and slap them over their heads with them.

Oh, God. Talon.

He was going to go crazy, especially when he found out that I’d dragged his son, his only boy, into this mess. He’d be on a warpath, and anything that crossed it was going to be destroyed.

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I didn’t even get to tell him I loved him.

Love him.

Because I did.

Sure, to start with it was lust at first sight. But the care, the gentleness and protectiveness he had shown me…not only me, but Maya, and even Deanna, Mattie and Julian, had my heart beating in love for the first time in seven years.

All I could do now was suck up all my emotions and feelings, and stay sane and safe for the children. They were what mattered now.

What a ****in’ well-planned night.

I was just about ready to see my ex and punch him in the gonads for this.

I shook my hands out and rubbed my eyes. I was beyond tired, but I had to stay focused for the kids.

What about Mattie and Julian?

Yes, what was going to happen to them once we left? I looked over to my beautiful brother and brother in-law. I wouldn’t be able to handle it if something did happen, but I really didn’t like our chances.

“It’s okay, sis.” Mattie smiled. Had he read the anguish in my eyes?

We all turned to the sound of a vehicle coming up Talon’s dirt driveway.

“They’re here,” Vic said. He went to the window, looked out, and then walked out the front door to greet them, leaving Pick behind.

Duh. I had felt like saying, sarcasm was something I hid my fear behind, but now wasn’t the time for it.

“Come on, poppet. Go to your mum,” Julian said, as he helped Maya stand on shaking legs. She hugged and kissed them both, whispering something in their ears, causing them both to pull their lips between their teeth. Maya then ran to me and climbed onto my lap, her tiny arms encircled my neck.

Mattie coughed to clear his throat. “Up you get too, Cody,” Mattie ordered. Cody mumbled something to them and they nodded.

****, ****, ****. I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t leave my brothers. I closed my eyes to fight the tears.

“Zee, honey.” I opened them to Mattie. He ushered Cody forward, and Cody came to sit at my side. I placed my arm tightly around his shoulders while I held Maya just as tight as I could with the other.

Looking back at Mattie and Julian, I forced a smile. “I love you g-guys.” I bit my bottom lip for control.

Mattie stepped closer to a crying Julian and placed his arms around him. “We love you too, sis. And we wouldn’t change anything, we still would have come; we still would have stayed because it meant we got to spend more time with you. You, who I have missed for six years.”

I closed my eyes and nodded, leaning my head against Maya’s as she hid her face in my shoulder. I wasn’t surprised that she hadn’t cried. When she was under stress, like I had witnessed when she went for her first swimming lesson, she turned quiet. Her fear built inside her, and the only way she really showed it was through her body. She was shaking like a leaf in the wind. Just for that, and the fact that Cody showed his fear by being a silent statue, his form was as stiff as board; it made me want to buy myself a machine gun and shoot Vic while he tried to run for his life.

Though, I knew I wouldn’t have it in me to harm Pick. I could tell that he honestly would not be involved in any of this if it wasn’t to save his mother. Anyone could see that he knew this was the wrong choice. He was the one who was going to have to live with this regret…and that was only if Talon didn’t get to him first.

Still, it also showed me that Pick was loyal. But in my opinion, he was being loyal to the wrong person. Yes, it was his mother, but a mother should never have dragged her own child into her mess. A mother was there to protect and provide for her child…not the other way around.

I felt for Pick, because in one way or another, he was going to be living his own personal hell.

Of course, I wouldn’t allow myself to feel too deeply for him, because if he hadn’t played a part in all this, I doubted I’d be in this situation.

Julian cleared his throat and clapped. “Enough of this crap. Honey, do not worry; we’ll be fine, and you’ll all be fine. Cody’s superhero daddy will come to the rescue. Won’t he, mate?”

“He will.” Cody nodded with confidence.

I gave him a squeeze; he looked up at me and I winked. The front door opened; my mouth dropped open when Rocko’s men, the ones I had seen tonight at the bar, walked in.

I knew it.

I frigging knew it.

They were trouble, nothing but trouble.

More men added to the list I’d gun down in the bloodbath I was willing to orchestrate.

But how did they know about this? About me and David?

“Get up, bitch,” Vic snapped. I placed Maya to stand on the floor beside me, and stood from the couch, pulling Cody up with me. I wrapped my arms around each child.

“We’ll come, nothing will happen, we won’t do anything…just, just don’t hurt my brother and Julian.”

“Yeah, we’ll see.” The glint in Vic’s eyes sent dread to the pit on my stomach. “Keep me posted,” Vic said to the two men. They gave him a chin lift in return.

I turned to Julian and Mattie. “I’ll see you soon, yeah. Okay?”

“Of course you will, cupcake.” Julian smiled.

“Be smart and safe, sis,” Mattie uttered.

I nodded, because I knew if I spoke, I’d break down. Instead, I mouthed, I love you both. And even that caused tears to fill my eyes; I choked back a sob and pulled the kids in tighter.

With one man in front of us, and one behind, I followed them out to a black SUV. The one in front opened the door; we were pushed inside. The men got in; the scarier one with a scar running through his upper lip turned in his seat and threw something that landed in my lap.

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“Put them on. All of you.”

I moved my arm from around Cody and picked up the pieces of fabric; they were head sacks.

What the **** have I done? The front door closed behind Wildcat and I wanted to run out, shoot the mother****ers, and save the day. But I couldn’t, or my own ma would be dead by tomorrow. I needed this money. This last time.

No matter how much it had hurt to watch the dicks take them.

****.

I’d never forget the look on Cody’s face when I walked in and done nothing to help the situation. I let Vic hit Wildcat. I just stood by and did nothing…like the ***** I was.

I was scared, and that was all it came down to.

And it ****in’ hurt.

It hurt to see the pain in Wildcat’s eyes. She felt betrayed by me, and it was justified.

Vic raised his gun and pointed it at the gay guys. “Right, change of plans. I have to get out of here now, so we gotta kill these ****ers.”

I stepped forward, hands raised. “What? No way, man. That wasn’t the plan. We need to stick to the plan.”

“Can’t. They can’t live; you should'a figured that out from the start, brother. They know us, and they’ll run to Talon. Then, we’re as good as dead.”

“Please, no,” Julian cried. Mattie stared at us with wide eyes. But his eyes also showed that he hadn’t expected anything different to come from us. He closed his eyes as he pulled Julian closer, and rested Julian’s forehead against his shoulder.

I felt disgusted in myself.

****!

I couldn’t let this happen. I would not have more blood on my hands. The only reason I let Wildcat go was because I knew her dickhead ex wouldn’t kill her.

Yeah, you just keep tellin’ yourself that.

I had to believe that. Or else I did all this for nothing. Really, I'd done it for nothing anyway. I already knew my ma wouldn’t change, and it made me feel sick. Give her six months and she’d be back to owing, in more ways than one.

So why was I helping her now? After what she’d done? After the hell she'd put me through all my ****in’, ****ed-up life. Who did that to their child?

Who sold their own child’s body to be used by rich, fat-ass bitches?

Jesus.

I couldn’t let this happen.

“No, Vic.”

He turned his hard stare on me, but I gave as good as I got and met his gaze with my own.

“What the **** you mean, no?”

“This ain’t happenin’.” I pulled out my own gun from where it sat at the back of my pants at my waist, and pointed it at Vic. He didn't think I had anything in me. I could tell that, because he still held his gun at the gay guys.

“Don’t do this, brother. Don’t **** this up for the both of us just ‘cause you’re a ***** and can’t kill two ****in’ poofs.”

“I should never have been involved. I should have manned-up at the start and told Talon your plan, but I didn’t, and I let Wildcat walk out. Christ, with her kids, and I’m gonna have to live with that. But I can’t let you do this. I won’t let you kill them.”

One of them gasped, but I didn’t dare look their way.

“You’re pathetic; why Talon ever let you join, I’ll never ****in' know.You could never handle the pay backs for the club. You’re useless.”

Scoffing to myself, I guess he’ll soon find out how useless I am.

I watched his hand twitch and I knew.

I knew I was about to be shot.

But I had to get there first.

The sound of my gun being fired echoed through the quiet house.

Though, it wasn’t only my gun.

I was knocked back when I was hit. My hand went to my chest as I stumbled backwards and then fell to my ass against the wall.

I smiled as I witnessed Vic fall to the floor, bleeding out from his throat.

We all watched silently as he took his last staggering breath and died.

“Holy ****,” Mattie yelled.

“Mother Mary,” Julian cried.

I snorted, and then winced from the pain. My hand was still holding my chest as the blood seeped through my fingers.

“G-get to Talon. Tell him,” I said.

“We aren’t leaving you,” Julian uttered, as he knelt down beside me. Mattie showed up with a towel in his hand, gave it to Julian, and then he disappeared again with a phone to his ear. I watched in slow motion as Julian moved my hand away, and placed the towel and pressed against my chest, causing me to moan as the pain doubled.

“Right, there’s an ambulance on the way.”

“No,” I whispered.

I was better off dead.

“Don’t **** us. You’re going to the hospital and that’s final,” Mattie ordered, and he knelt down on my other side, moved Julian’s hand away and placed his in the spot. “You saved us. We save you.”

I snorted again, but it turned into a cough. “N-no mouth-to-mouth.”

They laughed a tired, stressed laugh. “You wish,” Julian said.

“Honey,” Mattie said—I hoped to **** to Julian. I glanced up and saw he was staring at his lover. “You need to go to Talon. Call Violet on the way; she’ll need to be there. I’ll stay here. We’ll meet up later.”

Julian shook his head. “I’m not leaving you. We can call him.”

“No. We can’t tell him this over the phone. Listen, here comes the ambulance. Go, honey. Do this for Zee.”

Yeah, finding out his brother betrayed him wasn’t something to say over the phone.

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Julian kissed Mattie quickly—not something a dying man wished to see. He got up and ran out the front door, yelling to the ambo guys on the way, “It’s not my blood; in the house, get in the house.”

I’d just pulled up to the compound from visiting Travis, when Pick’s car came burling around the corner and skidded to a stop beside Griz and me. Only it wasn’t Pick who got out, but Julian. Covered in blood.

My stomach dropped.

Pain filled my chest.

“What the ****?” I roared.

“Inside now,” Griz ordered to a pale-faced Julian. We ran. Julian ran straight for the bar, with shaking hands, he poured himself a shot, and downed it.

I stalked over to him and yelled, “Tell me what the **** is going on.”

“Oh, God, Talon, ****, ****.”

“Talk now, mother****er, or so help me—where the **** is my woman…****, the kids?”

“Brother, calm down,” Griz said.

“****!” I screamed.

“What the hell is going on?” Deanna asked, walking into the room in shorts and a tee that she’d slept in. Her mouth dropped open at the sight of Julian. “No.” she gasped.

Griz went to her, pulling her into his arms; she shoved him away and with her hands on her hips and cold eyes she asked, “What happened?”

“Vic,” Julian said.

“What the **** about Vic?” I asked, as I started pacing; it was either that or I’d lose my ****in’ mind.

“H-he’s got men delivering Zara and the kids to David right now.”

I picked up a chair and threw it against the wall, shattering it.

“Where’s Pick, Stake, and Bizz?” Griz asked.

“****, Talon. I’m sorry, man. Pick had called your house, even before I got there, and told them they didn’t need to guard anymore. Bizz and Stake left it in the hands of Vic. Zee got back with Pick…****; they had it all planned. Even tonight, the distraction of Travis—not that he knew, but his slutty girlfriend helped Vic set it up.”

“Christ,” I said to the roof. “My brothers betrayed me.”

“Yeah,” Julian whispered. “But then, Vic was going to kill Mattie and me once the others left with Zara—the others being Rocko’s men, the ones we saw tonight.”

“Mother****er,” I roared.

“How’d you get away?” Deanna asked, as she stood there with her arms wrapped around her stomach. I knew she’d be feeling just as sick as I was.

Only hatred and fury filled me more, and I was willing to ride those ****in’ emotions to lead me to my woman, my son, and my Maya.

“Pick. H-he, God, he helped us; he didn’t want to do this Talon; he hated every moment. But he’s got some mother-issues. He s-shot Vic, but got shot in return. Mattie’s with him; they’re going to the hospital.”

“And Vic?” Griz hissed.

“He’s dead.”

“At least that’s one less asshole we’ll have to kill,” I said. “Right, Julian, go get cleaned up; I’ll send someone down with clothes for you. Then get to the hospital with one of my guys to be with Mattie. No one takes their eyes off Pick; I’ll need a word with him.”

The door to the compound burst open, and in ran Violet, Warden, and Travis.

“What’s going on?” Vi asked when she came to stop beside me.

“On a short, I was betrayed by two of my brothers; Zara and the kids have been taken to David.”

“****,” Warden whispered.

“Christ, no,” Vi uttered.

“What can we do?” Travis asked. Any other time I would have told him to **** off, but not when my family was involved.

Only nothing came to mind; all I could think about was hurting someone. I needed someone to pay for the gaping hole I was feeling in my heart.

Thank **** I had Griz at my side. He barked out, “Violet, you stay here with Deanna and man the phones. Travis, see if you can find out where David is situated right now through your sources. Warden, you’ll go with Blue; once I call him in, to the hospital, you’ll need to talk to Pick. Talon…”

I smiled. “We’re going to talk to Rocko.”

Travis got on his phone. Griz got on his to call Blue. Julian took off to the showers; but it was Deanna and Violet both at the same time that yelled, “**** no.”

Then Deanna added, “You can’t expect me to sit on my ass while my best friend is out there having God-knows-what done to her by that ****er David. I’m not sitting here manning the ****in’ phones when you can get some of ya boys to do it.”

“I agree. You need me, Talon. We don’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, but this, we work together on.”

“****, woman. I don’t need this ****. I gotta go.”

“Then we’re coming with you,” Violet said.

“**** yeah,” Deanna added.

“Jesus, whatever. Griz?”

“Jeremy’s up; he’ll call others to scout and man the ****in’ phone. Let’s roll.”

A curt nod and we left.

Not ****in’ before I saw Travis—the biggest pimp of Melbourne—pull my sister aside, kiss her, and tell her something to have her eyes warm and nod.

****, something to worry about when I got my family back.

Now it was time to fight for them.

All I knew was that we drove for a very long time. Long enough that the kids fell asleep in my arms, leaning their heavy weight upon me, and it was long enough for me to doze off and on for quite some time.

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I think my relaxed state showed the children not to worry, and in return they weren’t, so they could sleep knowing that I’d be there to protect them.

Why I was relaxed, I think, had many added contributions; for one: alcohol still flowed through my body. For two: I knew Talon would go to great lengths to find us, and three: I was stronger in mind, body, and spirit to deal with an asshat like David.

The only thing that had me worried, but I didn’t let show, was how all this was going to be played out. What was David going to do to? At least I was sure he would never harm a child. I—on the other hand—was a different story altogether. Though, I wasn’t worried for myself, only and always for the children.

So to keep my relaxed state for the kids, I thought of Talon.

His eyes and how they grew soft for me.

His mouth when he smiled at me.

His hands and body, and how he always sorted me out in a room.

Him.

The perfect, dominating, alpha-bossy biker, who was a hard-scary-assed, beautifully hot, delicious man.

Sometimes, I had to focus, because my mind kept supplying me with other freaked-out thoughts of Mattie, Julian, Mattie, Julian. Hope they’re okay. I have to be good. I cannot rip into these guys like a momma T-Rex because…Mattie, Julian, Mattie, Julian.

However many seconds, minutes, or hours later, the car came to a stop. The kids were roused from their sleep, and again, I reassured them that things were going to be okay.

“Keep the masks on,” one of them ordered. The doors opened, we were pulled out onto a gravel road, I took a hand of Cody and Maya's, and our feet crunched the gravel as we stumbled blindly along. A door was opened; thankfully, there were no steps or I would have fallen flat on my face, bringing the children down with me.

“It’s going to be okay,” I said for the umpteenth time, and received a hand squeeze from both.

We were placed in a room in front of—what I guessed—a couch, which I felt at the back of my calves.

“Sit,” one kidnapper said. We sat, where I cradled the children close to me. The door opened again; someone walked in, and I heard a chair being slid back, the sound of that someone sitting in it. I knew who it was straight away. I could never misplace his strong, stinking cologne.

“Remove,” David said, with a smile upon his mouth. I’d been around him enough to know when he was smiling.

Our head-covers were whipped off. I blinked a couple of times to bring focus back. The kids rubbed at their eyes. I looked up and found David sitting behind a desk, his hands folded on top of it; his eyes gleamed with a ‘gotcha’ look, and his mouth was smirking at me. He looked the same as he had six years ago. The same ocean blue eyes that had sucked me in, the same slim, tall form. The only difference was that his sandy hair had receded more on top.

“Hello, my dear Zara Edgingway.” he gleamed.

“David.”

“What, that’s it? That’s all you have to say to your husband? After all these years,” he spat, disgusted. “Get the kids out of here. I want to talk to my wife.”

“What? No, no, David. Please let them stay with me,” I begged. I didn’t trust the men standing behind the couch. Especially the one looking eagerly at my daughter.

David chuckled. “I doubt they’d want to hear what we have to talk about, darling.”

“You leave her alone,” Cody yelled, as he stood from the couch.

“Cody,” I said, pulling him back beside me. “It’s okay, hun.” I kissed the top of his head and looked to David again. “David, do you at least have someone who could be trusted with them? Please.”

He did a full belly laugh. “Of course I do.” He picked up the phone, pushed a button, and said into it, “Bring them in.”

Moments later, the door opened; a guy in jeans and a long-sleeved black tee walked in. But I was more interested in the voice I heard in the hall.

“Are you bastards ever going to let us go? You know I’ve missed my tit appointment; not that I’d really want to get them squished into a vice, but it has to be done with a woman my age. Plus, my kids must be worried by now.”

A sigh. “Nancy.” And I knew that person would be shaking his head.

“Mum?” I called, shocked.

I stood as an older version of me walked into the room wearing black pants and a red woolen jumper. Behind her was a brooding form of an older version of Mattie, only he was taller, with dark grey hair and warm, green eyes. Both of them looked a little worse for wear, a bruise on Mum’s cheek and Dad had a black eye.

I felt sick.

David was going to pay.

“Dad?”

“Oh, my baby,” Mum cried, and she ran at me.

“Mum, oh God, Mum, Dad,” I sobbed.

“Sweetheart,” Dad said, with tears in his eyes. They both wrapped me up in their arms.

“Oh, oh, is this my little angel, Maya?” Mum pulled away, picked Maya up, and hugged her to her chest.

“And who do we have here?” Dad asked. “Hey, buddy. I’m Richard, Zara’s dad; and that loud lady is Nancy, Zara’s crazy mum.”

“I heard that, Richard, and I’m not crazy.”

“It’s so great to see you both,” I cried. “A-and this is Cody. Talon’s son.”

“Really, and who’s Talon?” Mum asked.

“He’s my mum’s man, Nanny,” Maya informed.

“My dad’s the one who’s gonna come here and kick his ass,” Cody whispered to my parents. I pulled him into a hug.