“Did you call your sister?” Weasel asked.

Vengeance stared at his friend. “Why do you want me to call her so much?”

“I figured you should. She’s your family, after all.”

“You’re serious? After everything she said, and the shit she was talking about. You’re fucking crazy.” Vengeance shook his head even as he felt a spark of guilt. Renee had said some shit and so had he. There had been some regrets along the way, which he’d expected. Releasing a breath, he glanced around the clubhouse.

The only guys around were the ones that didn’t have wives. He was waiting for his own woman to arrive. They had found a small place a couple of days ago and were waiting for the go ahead to move in. He’d been saving up enough money to move out of the clubhouse for a long time now.

Constance had kept her job at the florist shop as Julie hadn’t wanted to let her go. The call had come as a surprise to her, and they had been enjoying a picnic when the conversation had happened. Afterward she’d been so happy. “I like working at the florist shop because I love the people that come and go, the customers who need me for something. It’s not something I want to spend the rest of my life doing, but I really do enjoy it.”

So she’d been able to do what she wanted to do he’d paid for her to have a brand new car that he didn’t have to worry about breaking down.

Thinking about their place and the plans he had filled him with excitement. Even though he was a fully grown man, he felt like he imagined a kid at Christmas did. Only his wishes were going to come true, and be a whole lot dirtier.

He had known deep down that there would come a point when he wanted his own space, and that time was now. The moment they got their place, and moved in, he intended to fuck her in every single one of the rooms, on the work surfaces, to have the entire place covered with memories of them. When they did eventually have kids, and he felt they were in his future sometime soon, he didn’t want Constance to forget how much he loved her. Just the thought of a future with Constance was enough to make him smile. Never had he felt this kind of love for another person. It was consuming.

“Don’t you want Constance to get to know your sister?”

“I don’t know. Constance doesn’t need that shit.”

“Call your sister, Vengeance. You know you want to and you know you need to.”

Vengeance sighed. There had been many times over the past couple of years when he had wanted to call her, to find out if she was okay, and of course that had never happened. There was always some reason not to, some excuse to keep him from doing it. “I’ll call her when I’m ready, and not until then.”

Shaking his head, he was just getting up about to head out to surprise his woman when his cell phone rang.

Hearing her screams scared the shit out of him. “Vengeance, Craig has me. I’m at the flower shop right now.”

Looking at Weasel, he saw the brother had heard. “I knew there was something fucking shady about that bastard.”

He didn’t wait around for Weasel. Craig was about to know exactly who he was fucking dealing with.

* * *

Pain exploded inside Constance’s head as she tried to open her eyes. The feeling made her moan even as she knew she had to be quiet.

What the hell happened?

In the distance she heard the sound of humming, and like a wave it all came rushing back.

Craig following her, the words that spewed from his mouth.

She was in a home, apartment of some kind. His residence, she gathered.

He’d hit her, knocked her out, and now she was somewhere she didn’t recognize. As she tried to move her hands she couldn’t. Glancing down, taking care not to make any sudden movements, she saw that her feet were bound together, as were her hands. They were also connected in a loop so there was no way for her to move.

Gritting her teeth, she tried not to make a noise, and when the sound of Craig grew closer, she looked across the room and saw him humming to himself in the kitchen. They had to have been in his apartment or something. She was laid on the sofa with a cushion underneath her head. Her heart began to pound.

I’ve got to get out.

Had Vengeance heard her? She’d tried to let him know that Craig was there. She knew something was off about that guy.

“Ah, I see you’re awake,” Craig said, alarming her as he watched her from the kitchen.

She didn’t say anything, and then she saw that his entire apartment was covered in pictures of her. Not just pictures. There were clothes, and other trinkets that she just now realized were missing.

Biting her lip, she returned her attention to Craig, who smiled at her.

“It’s so good that you’re awake. I was worried you wouldn’t wake up for a second there. I worried I hit you too hard.”

What the fuck?

“My head hurts.” She croaked the words out. Her throat felt like it was being rubbed raw by sandpaper.

“Oh, you were being difficult, but I get it. You’re not used to having a gentleman taking care of you, but I’m going to help you with that. You see, Constance, my sweet, you were always supposed to be with me, and well, I can’t have that stupid fucking biker hurting you anymore. I mean, his grubby disgusting hands touched you. I already had to deal with that fiancé of yours, and we both know he had no right to be near you, let alone marry you.”

She frowned. “Brando?”

“Yes. You don’t have to worry about a thing now. I’m going to take care of you, just like I always should have. It’s fine now. You don’t have to be afraid at all.” He stroked her cheek, and it took every ounce of strength not to pull away from him. The guy was delusional.

Oh my God. He’s been obsessed with me since I was with Brando.

He’d created some kind of fantasy, a life where they were together. This was … scary. There was nothing right about this, and it made her sick to her stomach.

“What did you do to Brando?” she asked.

Craig tutted, and she froze as he soaked a rag in a basin. He wrung it out and moved toward her. She flinched, but he pressed it against her temple. “You don’t have to worry, darling. I’m taking care of you, and you’ve got a few cuts here. I may have hit you a little too hard. You’ve got a lot of blood but you don’t have to worry. I think you look beautiful no matter what.”

Okay, she was starting to fucking panic. Had Vengeance heard her? God, there was no way she could be with this man.

“Brando?” she asked.

“Your meddling parents and Brando had to go. I had someone run them off the road.”

Tears filled her eyes. “I was in that car.”

“Yes, you shouldn’t have been though, Constance. I thought you’d be somewhere else at the time. If I had known you would be in the car too I wouldn’t have touched it.” He tsked, like this was her fault. “You’ve become a bit of pain for doing stuff you really shouldn’t do, but don’t worry. I know how to cure you of your failings so you’re as perfect as I want you to be.”

Oh God. Vengeance, where are you?