Slade will beat my ass for this, but it’s something I need to do on my own. I’d been desperate to go to the store without him, and until Owl had barged through the club doors, it had been a wish I knew wouldn’t ever have been granted. I now owed Owl, even if he didn’t know it.

My stomach is twisting itself inside out as I wait my turn in the massive line. I swear, every Christmas time, I’ll do my shopping online, but each year I make the grave mistake of not listening to my own advice. Now, standing in line with around fifteen others, I know I’ll definitely be internet shopping this year.

However, it isn’t Holiday gifts I’m buying today. I’m not sure how Slade will react to today’s purchase, I’m sitting on the hope that’ll he’ll be as thrilled as I am. Although it wasn’t something I planned at my age, neither was he but look how that turned out.

“Avery?”

I blink at the woman standing beside me, a fierce frown creasing her forehead. My brain hasn’t been working since yesterday, its focus on one train of thought only, and still it refuses to make menial tasks uncomplicated – like instantly identifying Denise.

“What the fuck! Frost will crucify me for this.”

“Denise. I just…”

“Jesus, girl. Thank hell I’ve found you. Why did you just take off on your own?” She flicks her fake hair over her shoulder, making her boobs jiggle with the action. Some guy in front keeps looking over his shoulder at us. No doubt because her volume is as loud as her orange lipstick and nails.

How did she find me? As if reading my mind, she points her finger out of the window. “You’re driving Frost’s truck, it actually has his name blazoned across it.” Shit, I forgot Scorch did that to the truck. It’s supposed to mimic real frost, but its white font on a black truck looks tacky as hell, hence why it gets left at the club, and no one, Slade included, uses it.

I feel a little awful. Denise had been told to keep her eye on me, and the minute she needs to pee I was out of the club before her panties were around her ankles and her ass was on the toilet seat.

“I, uhh…” I wince and look round the store, willing my brain to kickstart itself. “I was Christmas shopping.”

Denise stares at me nonplussed, until I add, “Well, I couldn’t really drag you along while I’m purchasing your gift, could I?”

The previous distress in her eyes shifts to genuine surprise, making me feel even worse when she says, “What? Oh, babe. I dunno what to say.” Excitement flushes her cheeks. She grins widely and gives my hand a quick squeeze. “But I’m afraid you’ll have to buy my gift online. If Frost finds out I left you alone, he’ll have my tits for boxing bags.”

I wasn’t quite sure how that would work, and I shake the confusion from my thoughts as I try to visually picture her statement.

My stomach flip-flops with disappointment. Nodding, I sigh and follow her out of the store. This was all becoming freaking ridiculous, everyone babysitting me as though I was a child. I know Brenner’s a prize prick, but I don’t think his focus was about me at the moment. He’d got other worries on his plate, like the wrath of his father and brother.

The winter chill that’s enveloped the state over the last couple of days has me pulling my jacket further around me. Denise slips on some mittens and claps her hands over her rosy cheeks. “Freakin’ winter sucks ass. What my skin would give for some vitamin D.”

I nod, completely agreeing with her. “I swear I’ve never been this pale.”

“We should take a road trip, sometime. Just us girls, when Rhiannon is home, it will be nice to really get to know the family.”

The look of hope in her eyes has my heart softening towards her. All the brothers use her as a barmaid or just a maid in general, and I get the feeling it’s the only attention Denise ever gains from anyone. Whenever I’ve seen her at the club, she’s always been pushed to one side. If a brother isn’t using her as a servant, they definitely aren’t interested in her company otherwise. She told me once her ass was taken but I’ve not seen any brother claiming her. I wonder if she has anyone at all in her life other than Lilith’s Army, and the thought of her being so lonely for some reason saddens me. “I’d love that.”

Grabbing her hand, I give it a quick squeeze and grin. “It would be awesome. We should put our heads together. I’m sure we can come up with somewhere cheap and good.”

I’m not sure that Slade will be so accommodating, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. It’s the token of friendship I want to give to her more than anything, to let her know we can be friends – good friends hopefully. And, if I’m honest, an ally in the clubhouse will also be a bonus.

Her sweet face lights up, and I really look at her. There’s sorrow in the depths of her eyes that I’ve never noticed before. Her eyes never actually light up, her smile never reaching them. A part of me feels guilty that I’ve never spotted it before. She’s obviously been hurt in her lifetime, the reflection of all that pain staring at me making my eyes swell with tears.

“Are you crying?” The concern in her voice has me laughing and gripping her hand firmer.

“Ignore me, freaking hormones.”

She frowns at my statement, then her eyes widen.

She doesn’t get to question my words when a shadow moves over us. I haven’t even realized we’ve made our way across the parking lot and we’re now stood beside Denise’s worn-out car.

“You make it too easy.”

My stomach drops when I see Brenner standing there leering at me, the smug grin on his face triggering a rush of goosebumps to journey over my body. My entire body is shaking, and my mind is telling me to run, but my limbs are numb. “Stay the fuck away from us,” Denise warns.

The threat in her voice triggers the animal inside him. He rears back and punches her in the face. “No!” I cry out, looking around for someone, anyone to come to our aid. The only person near us keeps their head down and scurries away. Coward.

With one arm he catches her body as it crumbles, and then he’s flipping her over the trunk of her car. He dumps her body inside like she’s trash being taken to the dump. “Get in the car nicely, or I’ll stuff you in there too.”

“Why?” I squeak out. Refusing to move.

“I just want you to come for a ride with me.”

He opens the passenger side door and roughly shoves me into the seat. Nausea threatens to dispel my breakfast from my body at the thought of being trapped with this evil bastard again. The phantom sting of the wound on my neck screams in warning that I need to get out of this situation. He has nothing to lose and gutting me has been on his to-do list.

We drive in silence. Although he said he just wants me to take a ride with him, I know deep down inside me that it isn’t only a trip around the block with him. This is a one-way ride, a ride that he won’t be making again to drop me back off.

This is a ride that will cost me so very much.

Suddenly he speaks, and it startles me. “I can’t believe he left you alone, vulnerable. You see, Princess, the club and his brothers, they will always come first. You know this life. You’re nothing but a warm hole for him to rut inside of on the nights the club sluts aren’t doing the job.” His words do what they intended, they hurt me and have my mind racing with how things will be when this happy love bubble we’re in right now bursts. I’ve been around brothers my entire life, and I don’t think I’ve ever met a faithful one. Or a hundred percent happy old lady.

“Why do you even care? What do you want from me?” I try to keep the tears from my voice, but my eyes betray me and let them fall down my cheeks.

“I don’t care, and I want nothing from you. If I did, I’d take it.”

The car slows, and I look around at the old, abandoned aquarium. What the hell?

“Get out.” He barks.

Slowly and attentively I open the door and step outside. Another car is here. My heart sinks. I don’t know who is worse. Yes, you do.

“Axe,” I greet tightly as the six-foot frame of my father’s VP walks over to us.

“Hmmm, hello, Princess.” He grins, and I shudder at the menace in his eyes as they glower down on me.

“What the hell do you want?” I bite out

Clicking his tongue, he sighs dramatically. “You, Avery,” he answers nonchalantly, as though I’m just merchandise at the local market. “We’re here to trade. I get you.”

My body stiffens with unease, and I feel Brenner move alongside me.

“After all,” he continues. “You do belong to me.”

Noise from the trunk signals that Denise has woken up. Suddenly it pops open, and she jumps out and takes off running. They both track her with their eyes. Brenner doesn’t even look bothered by it. He pulls his gun from his waistband, and my head roars with my own heartbeat. Visions of him killing Jayson and shooting Dean explode like a bomb inside my mind.

I need to distract them.

“I don’t belong to you! I never have!” Anger takes over and stupidly I lash out, pushing at Axe with both hands on his chest, knocking him against Brenner. I can’t seem to control my own actions, and I know I’m acting stupidly. Axe isn’t one to ever cross, but I just can’t seem to stop myself. I’m sick of everyone using me as though I’m a possession. Although Slade now treats me with respect and adores me, my marriage still started out as if it was a custody battle. My father believes he retains all rights to my future, my life planned out to his specific design. Axe. He just likes the thought of owning me as though I’m his personal slave, to do with as he pleases. I’m supposed to just take all this lying down.

Well, tough. I’ve had enough.

“I’m tired of all this shit!” I scream.

He lifts an eyebrow at the conviction in my voice, the confidence in me far from the timid little Princess he’s always seen. Brenner has given up on trying to shoot Denise and is glaring at me like I’m a rotten apple and he’s just taken a bite.

“I must say, marriage seems to suit you, Avery.” There’s a mocking undertone in Axe’s declaration that has the hairs on the nape of my neck standing on end. “But, you see, that marriage certificate you have should have had my name on it, not the Lilith’s cunt!”

He takes a stride towards me until his broad chest is pressed against my breasts. Wariness rushes over me, and I instinctively step back. However, shock immobilizes me when Brenner suddenly grabs me by the neck and crushes my throat in his fist.

I choke on a gasp, my lips going numb as I struggle in his grasp. My feet swing when he lifts me off the floor with an ease that is almost implausible.

“AXE!” I choke, pleading as I try to pull Brenner’s hands away.

“Let her go! What are you doing?!” Axe growls.

“You going to produce my sister anytime now or am I going to have to kill your Princess right here?” He’s so calm, so laidback, that it sends a sinister chill through me. I think I may already be dead and he’s the grim reaper, stealing my soul.

“Just let her go.”

His hand tightens. I’ve now stopped thrashing around. My bones feel weak, like they belong to someone else. I can’t fight with him anymore; my body is going into shock in an attempt to preserve itself. I’m not sure I’m even aware what is happening anymore.

“Let her go.” Axe demands through my haze, it’s almost a plea.

“Go get her, Axe, that’s all you need to do. And then you and your whore can climb into her car and be screwing each other by supper time.”

Frantically I gasp with a last effort to survive, praying that someone will come and help me. But it’s an empty hope. There isn’t another person in sight, only the occasional car scattered in various places.

I know I have no chance. Slade’s face flitters into my consciousness and I hold on to it.

Suddenly I’m falling.

Air thrashes into my burning lungs like lava. I hit the ground with a painful thud and fire ignites over both palms as I try to keep my head from smashing into the concrete. A shot rings out, cracking the silence of the sky. A flutter of birds’ wings taking flight ripples in the gunfire’s wake.

I’m being lifted from the asphalt. I have zero energy to fight with whomever fates hands I lie in.