Copyright ©2018 – Piper Davenport

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States

Coming soon!

(Unedited Excerpt)

PROLOGUE

Quinlan

Three Years Ago...

I couldn’t breathe. My eyes flew open before I was fully awake, and I felt pressure on my throat.

“Good morning, sweetheart.”

I clawed at Michael’s arm holding me down, but he wouldn’t budge.

“I’ll let you go if you promise not to scream.”

I nodded frantically, still clawing at him. He released me, and I dragged in gulping breaths as I rubbed my neck. “What do you want?” I rasped. “How did you get in?”

“I have a key.”

“How the hell did you get a key?”

“Sweetheart, I have access to you on a level you couldn’t even fathom.”

I shivered, squeezing my eyes shut. “Michael, you need to go.”

“I don’t think so.” He rose to his feet. “Get dressed. I’ll meet you downstairs. We’re going to have a little chat.”

I slid out of bed slowly and rushed around the room looking for my phone. It wasn’t where I left it. Shit! I had no way to call my brother...or Knox. My bedroom was on the second floor and my window was over a cement pad, which meant I had no way out. At least for the moment.

I pulled on clothes and tried to think of an exit plan. Michael and I had gone on the sum-total of three dates. Each worse than the previous and I had broken it off before it had even started.

Truth be told, my heart had never been in it, because it had always belonged to another. Knox “Badger” McKellar has been mine since the first moment I met him. Ten years ago.

I was fifteen and my mother had just died of cancer. Dad had been gone for years, so it was just my brother, Valen, and me. He was nineteen and had gained custody of me through the courts (a process that was started when Mom got sick).

Valen had an opportunity to work as a mechanic while he finished up training, so he moved us from Amarillo, Texas to Savannah, Georgia. I’d met Knox my second day of Sophomore year, and fallen in love. Until recently, however, he hadn’t felt the same way.

“Quinlan!” Michael bellowed. “I’m losing patience.”

I forced back tears and took a deep breath.

“Quinlan!”

My body shook as I headed toward the stairs. It took me a second to move, but I stepped down, and then again, until I arrived in the foyer of my tiny townhouse rental.

I squared my shoulders and walked into the kitchen where Michael sat on a barstool at my island...spinning my phone like top. I reached for it, but he snatched it out of my reach and tsked. “You and I are going to have a come to Jesus meeting. Then you can have your phone.”

I crossed my arms. “I don’t know what you want from me, Michael.”

“I want you to marry me.”

“Are you insane?” I snapped.

He slammed his palms on the island. “I’m not crazy,” he screamed, and he scared me so much, I felt like I jumped a foot in the air.

“I apologize.” He took a deep breath and settled his hands in his lap. “That was ungentlemanly.”

“Please give me my phone,” I whispered.

He shook his head, sliding a manila envelope toward me. “You’re going to forget your biker scum associates and marry me. If you don’t, I will kill young Knox McKellar, and burn your brother’s club to the ground. He and his ‘brothers’ will be sent to prison for a very long time. Then where will you be, sweet Quinlan?”

“I will not marry you, Michael. My brother and Knox can take care of themselves.”

He rose to his feet and smoothed his shirt. “We’ll see. I’ll expect your answer in two hours.”

Michael left, and I opened the envelope...that’s when my world imploded.

* * *

Six months ago...

I stared down at my baby girl, Kinsey, sleeping so peacefully in her crib. I was currently sporting a new bruise under my right eye, and it was swelling, so it was a little tough to see her in the darkness. I laid my hand on her chest and felt it rise and fall with every breath, and I relaxed...sort of. I was doing this for her. At least, that’s what I told myself. He’d never hit me on my face before. He usually kept his beatings in places I could cover up, but tonight was different. His irritation had turned to anger, and I was in the path of that rage.

I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer, hoping to God everything worked. I had started to put my plan into action a month ago. I had a go bag, I had money stashed. I was ready. And I was ready without help from my brother, or Badger. I didn’t want any of this to touch them.

I just had to get through the next two days. Then Michael would be gone overnight, and Kinsey and I could disappear.

Despite the pain in my body, I felt a lightness I hadn’t in a very long time. Sneaking out of her room, I headed downstairs and grabbed an icepack and a glass of wine. Flipping on the television, I settled in for quiet night, since I had at least two hours before Michael returned from whichever whore he visited to ease the ache of his erectile dysfunction.

I giggled quietly, then forced myself to stop. This was why I got hit. At least, why he hit me in the face this time. He didn’t need a reason to hit me, but me laughing at the fact he couldn’t get it up forced him over the edge and I paid the price.

I’d figured out early in our marriage that if I didn’t seem scared, he couldn’t perform, which meant he left me alone most nights. I’d rather be beaten than have his dick anywhere near me.

I shuddered. God, twice was enough.

Sipping my wine, I channel surfed until I could barely keep my eyes open. Rather than hauling my butt up to bed, I settled myself on the sofa...awakening with a gasp when a smooth hand pressed against my cheek.

“Waiting up for me, sweetheart?” Michael crooned.

I stood without response, not wanting to be in a vulnerable position. He was a mess. His suit askew, his hair unkempt, dirt on his hands. Completely unlike him. I didn’t ask him why. Honestly, I didn’t want to know.

“I’m sure you’re wondering where I’ve been,” he said, pulling a folded manila envelope from his inside jacket pocket. “I have a little gift for you.”

God, I hated manila offerings from him.

I clasped my hands in front of me and shook my head. “I’m good, thank you.”

He dropped it on the sofa. “I’m going to clean up. Take some time to read that, then I’ll meet you in bed.”

I stood frozen to the spot as he left the room, staring down at the envelope, knowing that whatever was in this was going to hurt. Taking a minute to bolster my courage, I took a few deep breaths, then opened the envelope. I was wrong. This didn’t hurt me. This destroyed me.

Dropping the photographs of a broken and beaten Knox on the floor, I fell to my knees and covered my face, unable to stop the sobs from wracking my body. I didn’t know if he was dead...and I didn’t want to know. I had only a few minutes to grieve, as I was suddenly dragged up by my hair and my head tipped back to meet the eyes of Satan.

“Whatever you have planned, sweetheart, cancel it. As you can see, I can get to your loved ones anytime, anyplace. Never fear, darling. He’s not dead. I made sure Harlan didn’t quite go that far. But if you leave, I will kill him...along with your beloved brother, so reconsider.” He released me by shoving me onto the sofa. “I’ll give you a moment to compose yourself and then you can come upstairs and undress for me. Slowly.”

He walked away again, and I died a little more inside.

* * *

Redeeming the Biker’s Past will be here soon!