The SUVs follow us.

I don’t say anything, but I turn around and sit up in my seat, covering Butcher’s back.

We hit the edge of town, and the two SUVs are still following. We are now surrounded by the dark. We hit a long straight stretch, and the vehicles speed up and move up on either side of us.

This is not good.

I reach behind me and take out my gun just as the man directly beside me rolls down his window. I see a gun and so does Butcher. He guns the bike and it shoots forward, leaving them all in the dust.

We turn the curve and I realize something. I want to face this head on. I am so sick and tired of this shit! “Butcher, let’s just fucking get them.”

“Shaylin, no. If you weren’t here.”

“No.” I grip his vest. “I am with you. We can’t allow this to come back to Tiana.”

“Fuck.” He slows down. He knows I am right. The SUVs come into view. Butcher speeds off into the woods, and I let out a deep breath trying to calm my nerves.

Butcher comes to a stop, pulls me off the bike, and runs with me into the middle of the field. I take my helmet off and throw it in the direction of the bike.

The two SUVs pulling into the field illuminate us in their headlights. I grab Butcher’s hand. I take my gun out of the holster and grin.

Butcher reaches into his pockets and takes out two large knives. His face changes as I watch him—he turns from my Butcher into something deadly.

The doors of the SUV open, and I pull back the clip on my gun. I turn my head, grinning at them.

The first person out of the SUV is Mary. That right there shocks the hell out of me. She is followed by five men.

“Well, if it isn’t Shaylin!” Mary calls and lets out a cackle which irks my nerves right off the bat. What has Mary gotten herself into? “Who adopted my niece, Tiana?”

Butcher and I step forward at the same time when she says Tiana’s name. My eyes narrow, ready to beat some ass.

Mary tilts her head and gives me a sly look. “Let me tell you a story, shall we?” She rubs her hands together. “Lexi, my dear cousin, went and got knocked up by Levi, and she didn’t tell anyone. She got the little shit taken from her, and she got her life on track. Lexi didn’t know I was fucking Levi. I was the fucking queen, and I was using you to spy for him. To watch the fucking MC. So you guys wouldn’t fuck with his drug empire.”

She sits down on the hood of the SUV. “Levi and I came up with a plan. Trafficking is some good money and I need a new car. Lexi was worthless and never took care of the kid. She was a burden and was always so needy, wanting food. Why don’t we sell her? Get rid of her?”

She bangs her hand on the hood, glaring at me. “Until Lexi found out I was going to sell Tiana. She grabbed her two meth-head friends and ran, but she ran to you. She overdosed on some drugs I gave her. Then you adopted her daughter.

“Levi said he would get her back, right? The deal was still in action. Levi sent some guys. You fucking killed them, and this fucker killed Levi. These men here are hired by me to kill you guys, and I am taking Tiana. I have one day to finalize the deal, or I am dead. But guess what, Shaylin, I played you for years! I was just your friend for information! Once we got the deal for Tiana, I left your ass behind.” She laughs again like a maniac.

Rage isn’t the word for what I am feeling right now—it doesn’t even touch the surface. I’ve gotten a glimpse of what Tiana had to deal with. Nobody here can fucking leave. They all must die. Butcher is so mad he is shaking. A calm comes over me and I smile at Mary, and her eyes narrow at the sight.

“You’re dead.” I raise my gun in a split second and pull the trigger. It seems to happen in slow motion. The bullet hits her in the center of her forehead. Her body jerks from the impact before she falls forward and hits the ground.

The five men jump into action, charging for us. Butcher pushes me back and transforms into Butcher.

He spins, bringing the knives around, and slices the first guy in the throat. He growls loudly and brings the knife up, stabbing him under the chin. He spins his torso and hits another right in the forehead. He pulls both knives from the man’s head, and another man comes up behind him. Butcher spins around and brings both knives to his throat. He makes an X, slicing him from ear to ear. The last man looks at Butcher in shock and turns around to run off. Butcher throws a knife and hits him on the back of the head.

Then silence.

Butcher’s back is to mine, and I am breathing heavily after everything that just happened. I can’t believe Mary was going to fucking sell Tiana. The sweetest baby in the whole world. I couldn’t allow her to leave. Tiana would still be in danger.

“Butcher!” I call.

He whips around, drops the knives, and runs over to me. He picks me up off the ground, and I sigh with relief when I am in his arms.

“Fucking sell my baby girl,” he chokes and I nod.

I cannot even fathom what would have happened to her. I just can’t.

“Let me call the guys, they will clean up. I want to go home to Tiana,” I tell him.

He is on the phone for ten minutes, and I walk over to his bike. He follows me and I sink to the ground next to it.

“My poor baby.” I cry.

Butcher sits down on the ground next to me, holding me tightly to him. “Mary said she was always asking for food, Butcher! They were horrible to her. My baby. My sweet angel. She was going to sell her, Butcher, she would have had god knows what done to her. Who could do that? Who is Mary?” I cry and he rocks me in his arms as he tries to soothe me.

“Butcher, they came to her, to sell her.” I sob again in pure fear. “Butcher, I never thought about what she went through. They didn’t care for her, she suffered her whole little life and then they were…” I can’t say the words and I stuff my face into his neck, crying again. “It hurts so much. My heart.” I grip his shirt and he kisses my temple. It hurts so bad, the pain I feel for her. The thought of something happening and her being neglected hurts me so much.

I love that little girl so much.

“She is with us for this reason, Shay. We were meant to protect her,” Butcher tells me and I nod. We are here to take care of Tiana, to protect her and give her the best life we can.