I couldn’t sleep. Not that night or the next.

I tossed and turned, my body sluggish yet wired to blow. It was a weird sensation, being on the edge of such a jagged cliff.

Fortitude went about business as usual, yet there was something in the air that didn’t sit well with me. The garage was quieter than usual, the metallic clangs and the blaring rock music dulled as if I were swimming underwater. I knew Gasket was going to give the order soon, but not knowing was making me break out into hives.

My head swam with what-ifs and worst-case scenarios until the night after the meeting on the roof when there was a knock at my bedroom door.

Thump, thump, thump.

My heart hammered in my chest, and I sat up in bed, swiping at the sweat beading on my forehead. I rubbed at the dampness under my boobs as well, cursing the heat and the sweats caused mostly by nervousness.

“Sloane.”

Chaser. Sliding out of bed, I stuffed my feet into my boots and unlocked the door. He slipped through the crack and enveloped me in his muscled arms. He smelled like spice and musk with a tang of sweaty boy stink. Usually, it was rank, but it worked on him. His pheromones were calling out to mine, but this nighttime appearance wasn’t about sex even though I was thirsting for it.

“Is it time?” I asked, holding him tight.

He buried his nose in my hair and breathed deeply.

“Chaser?”

“They’re already on the move,” he replied. “They’re moving the women to a secure location within the compound. When they’re safe, they will corral the men pledged to Marini, then take him.”

I snorted, the notion of women being guarded like lost kittens not sitting well, but I knew it was the right thing to do. A lot of the women I’d made friends with weren’t fighters. They didn’t even know how to fire a gun, which struck me as strange considering where they lived, but I suppose they relied heavily on their men for protection. Maybe, when this was all over, I could teach them. Give them some power of their own.

“I need a gun,” I said, pulling away from him.

“Sloane, you can’t go out there,” Chaser said, holding me back. “Gasket’s got this.”

“I won’t sit back and let everyone else do the dirty work,” I argued. “I wanted this, and I will be a part of it. I’m prepared to face Marini.”

“I can’t let you put yourself in danger.”

“We aren’t on the road anymore,” I said, placing my palms on his chest. “You don’t have to put yourself in between every bullet. Not anymore.”

“This isn’t the same,” he murmured. “This is more than that ever was. There’s more to lose than ever.”

He was right, but this was about saving my own ass from being sold off to the Hollow Men. It was about paying back Marini for all the shit he put me through as a child. It was about my mom and her death at the hands of the Venturas MC. It was about protecting all the women still within these walls.

“I was the catalyst, Chaser,” I said. “Everything we’ve done has led to this moment. There are people out there I swore to protect, and I can’t do that from in here. I have to see this through.”

“Gasket and I will go after Marini,” Chaser said. “Go with Hopper and protect the women.”

I knew I was being kicked down a few rungs, but I would take it. I wasn’t sure I could face my father and point a gun at his face and not falter. That was an admission I had to face now or potentially suffer the consequences for in the heat of the moment. Chaser and his irritable ass had taught me something on the road, after all.

“Where are they?”

“The upstairs kitchen.”

I made to turn, but I hesitated. He had to know how important this was to me, right? I wanted my father to know I had a hand in his downfall. I wanted to see the look on his face when I walked into the room. When I saw him, I would finally know how he truly felt about me.

“I want to look him in the eye and…” I didn’t know what I would say to him. All this time planning and plotting and I hadn’t thought about what I’d say to him.

Chaser grasped my waist and squeezed. “You’ll get your chance.”

Reaching up, I kissed him softly on the lips. I would tell him to be safe, but Chaser didn’t need good-luck charms. I edged around him and made for the door. Game on.

“Sloane?” I turned. “Take the back stairs, okay?”

I nodded, leaving Chaser to go his own way.

The way was clear as I powered up the stairs and into the upper level. Ahead, light was trickling out from underneath the door, and I could hear murmuring coming from the kitchen. Seemed everyone was already in residence.

I rapped my knuckles on the door, and it inched open, revealing Hopper. I didn’t know him well, but ever since I’d helped Sam get out of Fortitude, he’d softened toward me. It also helped I’d won over his woman, Shondra, too. It was comforting to know not all bikers around here were into owning women.

“Come in,” he said, opening the door so I could slide through.

“Sloane?” Shondra stood as I entered, looking on the verge of tears. “What’s going on?”

I glanced at Hopper, who only shrugged. He’d told them shit all, so no wonder everyone looked shaken.

“Something big is going down,” I said, glancing around the room.

“Like what?” It was a woman I’d never spoken to before but had seen around the compound.

“Sloane, be real with us, girl,” Emily said.

“Hopper won’t tell us anything, and I suck his cock on a daily basis,” Shondra declared, rolling her eyes.

“He won’t let us leave,” Raquel complained.

“I can’t even get Stewie on his cell,” Kelly added. “There’s no job on, is there?”

I sucked in a deep breath. How did you tell someone their whole life was about to change? If this went badly, who knew what was going to happen to them. Gasket’s plan was simple, but there was still so many things that could go wrong.

“Fortitude is undergoing a change in management,” I said straight up. “You’re in here so we can protect you from the fallout.”

“I knew it,” Sierra exclaimed.

“You did not, bitch,” Shondra spat.

“It’ll all be over soon,” I reassured her.

“Who’s leading?” Kelly asked, glancing at Hopper. “Who’s taking down Marini? Chaser?”

Hopper narrowed his eyes, aware she had the hots for a man who wasn’t his buddy Stewie.

“Fuck, no,” he drawled. “It’s Gasket.”

The room full of women visibly relaxed and talked among themselves. It seemed the old man’s popularity extended to the female population and the big, bad, burly bikers.

Pop, pop, pop. My head spun toward the door, and Hopper straightened up, reaching for his gun. Was that an automatic weapon? Shit.

“Something’s wrong,” I said, listening to the gunfire.

“They weren’t supposed to shoot,” Hopper said.

“Do you think they were ambushed?”

“Likely.”

I strode toward the door and twisted the handle, but the biker grasped my arm and wrenched me away.

“Do not go out there,” he barked at me and realization hit me square in the face.

Chaser had set me up.

Lifting my leg, I was grateful for my flexibility. I smashed my heel down on Hopper’s wrist, and he yelped, dropping his gun. Breaking free, I dove for the firearm and snatched it up. Pointing it at his head, I curled my lip.

“No more games, Hopper,” I drawled, seriously pissed off. “You can’t make me stay in this room. I will shoot any son of a bitch who gets between me and Marini, so help me God.”

“Then fucking go.” He grimaced and shook his wrist. “I ain’t gonna try to stop you again.”

“Sloane!”

I turned at the sound of Shondra’s voice.

Her bottom lip quivered. “Be careful, okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” I said with a smile. “I’m a tough bitch, remember?”

* * *

I went back the way I’d come. Passing my room, I weaved through the compound, taking the long way to Marini’s rooms.

I hadn’t been here since the awful dinner he had me endure weeks ago. I’d hardly seen him at all, which was a glaring indicator as to his affection for his only offspring. The more I thought about it, the more I saw the signs. They were all there. The absence, the threats, the cold stares, the baiting… It was past the time for should haves.

Sounds of movement echoed along the concrete halls. Boots thumped overhead, voices called out somewhere ahead, but I didn’t see a single soul. It was fucking creepy. Any second now, I was sure a zombie would fall out of the darkness and try to tear out my jugular with its bare, rotting teeth.

A shiver ran down my spine as I stood outside the door to my father’s room. If he was in there…

I held up Hopper’s gun and opened the door, tracking the barrel in front of me. I was ready to pull the trigger and cut down any bastard who got in my way, but it was pointless. The moment I stepped inside, I knew.

He wasn’t here. Marini was gone.

I clicked the safety on Hopper’s gun and shoved it down the back of my jeans with a sigh. It would never be this simple. A girl could hope, but hope meant shit when it came down to the wire.

Of course, he wasn’t here.

Marini’s revolver was sitting on the table. Picking it up, I checked the barrel. The mother-of-pearl shimmered on the butt as I tilted it to the side. It was fully loaded. Had Marini left in a hurry? I doubted he would leave this treasure behind. It was a treasure considering what he did with it. Watts told me all about it one night over a beer outside in the yard. It was the club’s executioner.

I snorted. Not quite. Marini was the executioner, the gun was just a tool he used to carry out his sentences.

Glancing at the floor, a brown stain was rusted deep into the carpet. It hadn’t been there before, and I knew it was old blood. I felt bile rising in the back of my throat, knowing the stain belonged to Harley.

The revolver was heavy in my hand, but still, I slid it into the waistband of my jeans.

I turned my back, pushing the thought out of my mind. Opening his bedroom door, I stared into the lair of the monster and scowled. It stunk of him. Of Marini. Gunpowder and sweat. I remembered this place differently. The sweet scent of Mom’s perfume, her clothes lying on the leather chair in the corner, the woven rug on the floor, the pale blue curtains framing the windows. All of that was gone now.

I stepped inside and tried to remember her face, but all I came away with was her cold, dead eyes and the blue lips of death.

I backed away but not before a glint caught my eye. A ring was sitting on the nightstand, and as I approached, I instantly recognized it.

It was hers. Mom’s engagement ring.

A memory surfaced of sitting in her lap and playing with it, twisting the gold band around and around on her finger, watching the diamond sparkle. Daddy gave that to me on the beach, she’d said.

I took one last glance around the room before I left, the ring heavy in my palm. I didn’t know if Dad had given a shit about my mom or what it meant that he kept her engagement ring on the nightstand, but it was mine now. The one and only thing I had left of hers.

It was mine, and I took it from him.

Leaving the bedroom behind, I put the ring in my pocket for safekeeping and went out into the hall. I had to find Chaser and Gasket and get this thing done. Lingering here was pointless.

Movement at the end of the hall pulled me to the right, and my breath caught.

Rocket.

The word enemy flashed through my mind. He hadn’t seen me yet, but he just needed to turn a little to his left, and it was game over. There was nowhere to go except straight ahead, so I raised Hopper’s gun and took a step forward. Shoot or be shot at. At this range, the spoils went to the quick draw.

I gasped as a hand wrapped around my waist and pulled me into a dark room. Instantly, my flight mode activated, and I lashed out, smashing the butt of my gun into my assailant’s face.

“Fuck!” a male voice cursed. “Settle down, amore mio.”

Deluca.

I twisted, gaining enough room to bring my head forward, then I reared backward to smack him in the teeth with my skull. He grunted in pain and let me go. Turning, I saw the blood on his lips in the murky light and smirked.

“You’re one of them.” I snarled, aiming right between his slimy biker eyes. “Say your prayers, asshole.”

“I’m Gasket’s,” he replied, holding his hands up. “And if you didn’t notice, I just saved your tight little ass from being gunned down by Rocket.”

“How do I know you’re not lying?”

“Who do you think narked on Marini to Gasket?” he asked with a sneer. “Fucking Santa Claus?”

“He knew we were coming.” I narrowed my eyes.

“It wasn’t me, amore mio. It might’ve had something to do with Rick being strangely absent, don’t you think?” He snorted. “Either way, you’ve got no options. We have to find Gasket and regroup.”

His cell phone vibrated in his pocket, and he pulled it out.

“They got him,” he said. “They’re regrouping in the garage.”

“They got Marini?” I should’ve been happy, but I was thoroughly annoyed I wasn’t there to see him squirm. “Alive?”

“Fucked if I know.”

Deluca opened the door and peered out into the hallway as a new round of gunfire erupted somewhere in the compound. It was further away this time.

“I thought they got him?”

“Rocket is leading a group loyal to him,” Deluca said. “That’ll be them. Quick.” He beckoned me to follow. “We’ve got to get back to the garage.”

Fine by me. I wasn’t staying in this shithole a moment longer than I had to. I had overdue business with my father, and it was time to collect…with interest.