Kyanne

Present day

“What the hell do you mean he’s gone? Who did this!” I looked from face to face at my mother, Aunt Stephanie and Zachary Foster, the Guardian's Tail Gunner, and my closest friend. The expressions on their faces were the same.

Distraught, forlorn, speechless.

“What the hell!” I paced away from them and back again.

Zach reached for me. “Ky…”

“No, Z! Don’t… just don’t! I want answers. Mom? Aunt Steph?” The two women who’d been my rock and taught me how to be a strong, independent woman, stood in front of me with a look in their eyes I’ve never seen.

What in the everloving hell is going on?

I looked at Zachary, the best friend a girl could ask for. I’d met him when I was about eighteen and he was twenty-one; he’d been a prospect for the Guardians then. My dad had taken him under his wing to show him the ropes. Zach sure as shit wasn’t raised on this side of the tracks. He was from the rich part of town. I thought him joining the club was to stick it to his snooty mom and richie rich pops. But he didn’t act like he had a silver spoon up his ass, and we’d hit it off quick. Didn’t hurt things that he was easy on the eyes and any teenage girl’s fantasy. He wasn’t too bad to look at now that I’m twenty-five and he’s twenty-eight either.

I looked him over, but this time, not distracted by his good looks. I needed answers and since my mother and Aunt Steph seemed to be mute all of a sudden, those answers were gonna come from Zachary.

“Z?” I felt my resolve slipping like someone was ripping my heart out. My world. My father. My number one fan.

Dead.

It didn’t even sound right to think, let alone say it aloud.

Zach collected me in his arms and hugged me to him. He ran a hand up and down my back as he whispered in my ear words of comfort. “I’m so sorry, Ky. So damn sorry,” he said over and over. I unloaded a storm of tears into the black and white patch on his leather vest. I opened my eyes against his beating heart. I narrowed my eyes at the logo.

Legion of Guardians.

I sniffed and backed away from him shaking my head. This club used to be my life, my love, my family. But after what happened to Tangie, and seeing two more of my friends taken the same way after that incident, I didn’t want to be a part of something targeted by evil anymore.

I hadn’t become a Lady Guardian like my parents wanted. I wasn’t about this life anymore. When I graduated, I’d gone on to be a counselor for abused children. I wanted to help kids like those girls I’d seen in that clubhouse that day. I wanted to get far away from this life. My ass hadn’t even been near a bike since the one my dad bought when I graduated high school. He’d hoped I’d change my mind when I’d see the black Ducati. But it was a no go. I rode the thing maybe twice and now the bike was collecting dust in the club’s garage seven years later.

I’d only come by the club when they said it was important. Like today. But, I sure as shit wasn’t expecting to hear this news. I swear to God if he died for this club… Just like Big Pete, just like Tangie… Ice ran through my veins. “Who did this to him, Z?”

Zach’s gaze flicked over to my mom and aunt before his deep blue eyes leveled back on me.

“It appears to be the Hellhounds, Ky. Seems they may be back at it, but we aren’t sure—”

I turned to my mom and aunt, cutting Zach off mid-talk. “That rival club again? Really? This is the shit I’m talking about. You all,” I turned to Zach, too. “You all are a part of this shit. Yea, you do tons of good for the community, but you also elicit hate from these idiot Dogs. I begged Daddy. I begged him. I asked him not to do this. He went after them to avenge Big Pete, didn’t he?” I screamed. “Now, he’s gone! He’s gone… he’s…” My breath caught on a sob and I choked. Grief took over like I never felt before and my knees gave out. Before I hit the floor, Zach reached out, catching me.

“No, Kyanne. We didn’t do this. It wasn’t the Guardians. This isn’t on Free. This is on these Dogs and they’ll pay for this.”

“Get off me, Zach! Leave me alone,” I yelled, clawing at him.

“I won’t. I won’t ever. I can’t leave you alone, Kyanne. Not like this…” He shook his head. “We will figure this out. Please?” he pleaded.

“No!” I pushed at him, the tears blinding me. “No, no, no. Fuck! Z, he is gone! He’s gone! And for what? This damn club?”

I lunged at him again, but I saw the concern etching his face. I hated causing that look on a guy I cared so much about... next to my…dad. Another sob ripped through me as I broke down in tears.

“Kyanne!” My mom and Aunt Steph grabbed me from grappling with my best friend again. “Zach didn’t do this!” My mom yelled at me. We will figure this out, but it wasn’t the Guardians. It was the Dogs and we will figure out why. We’ll figure it out, and avenge your dad, baby girl; we will.” My mom pulled me in and hugged me tight. “We will. We will,” she kept saying, as I felt her hot tears against my face. “God, they took him. They… they took him. They TOOK HIM!” My mother screamed, fury in her tone, beyond her tears. My Aunt Steph stepped in.

“Stella…” She tried calming her sister. I looked up as she rubbed my mom’s arm.

My mom wrenched it away from her. “No, Steph. Not now.”

I watched as tears fell down my mom’s face in waves, but Aunt Steph cried just as hard.

“He was…” Steph tried to speak.

“You shut your mouth, Stephanie. Not now. Not fucking now! Don’t you dare…” My mother held up a finger, and pointed at her sister, without saying anything more.

My mother, now the president of the Arlington Lady Guardians, walked out of the shop with all the dignity she could muster, though tears stained her otherwise beautiful face.

I looked at my mother’s retreating form and then back at my aunt, the Lady G’s Vice. Her face was just as tear wrecked.

Aunt Steph looked from me and lingered on Zach. So many things were written on his face I couldn’t even read it. I felt like a whole conversation had just passed between the two of them with no words. It was like everyone knew more about this Hellhound situation than they were letting on.

I turned when I caught sight of Starla, my older first cousin, come into the room. Her face was sullen as she looked from Aunt Steph, her mom, to me. She came over to where the three of us stood.

“What the hell is going on? I came as soon as I heard something’s up,” she said.

“Star, it’s Pop,” I sobbed.

“Uncle Free? What happened?” Star appeared alarmed.

“He’s…” I tried to say the word, but it wouldn’t escape my mouth. Instead, I choked on it again. It didn’t feel real. It didn’t seem right. I couldn’t do it. Zach’s constant support was at my side, without hesitation. Regardless of how I’d just treated him, he still snaked an arm around my waist and held me against him. When I couldn’t find the strength in myself, Zach would be my support.

Wiping at the incessant tears streaming down my face, I listened as Zach explained to Star what happened to my father, all the way down to our theory that the Dogs were responsible.

“Is there a body?” Star asked. Her expression remained even. She hadn’t said much while Zach was talking.

Steph walked over to her daughter and put her arm around her waist.

“No, honey. The Dog’s sent a video saying, ‘Free paid the price.’ The video showed your Uncle Free’s bike burning with him atop it.” Steph tried to keep her voice low, but I heard it all.

“They burned him? Burned him?” I wailed, catching every word.

Zach held me close as I collapsed in his arms.