Wrong place, wrong time. We’re all familiar with that old
adage. But when it happens – when you actually are in the wrong
place, at the wrong time, the consequences can be devastating. Heartbreaking.
Life-changing.
I was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
It was the day my world changed forever.
And nobody paid the price.
I’m about to change that…
I look down at my left hand,
tilting it just slightly so the neon light above the bar catches the perfect
diamond solitaire that sits comfortably in the center of the white-gold band.
The smile on my face has been pretty hard to shift since Aiden slipped the ring
on my finger less than twenty-four hours ago. I’d thought I was deliriously
happy before, but now I’m positively walking on air!
Aiden Franklin, the love of my
life. We’d grown-up together, known each other since the day we were born, which
just happened to be the same day. It felt almost like fate; as if everything,
our whole lives, had been mapped out for us. We were destined to be together, I
truly believed that, and I never once questioned it.
Our fathers had been best friends.
They’d met on the Superbike circuit, becoming inseparable as the years had gone
by, almost like brothers they were that close, until a heart attack had cruelly
taken Aiden’s dad’s life two years ago. He’d only been fifty-three. No one had
seen it coming, and I know Aiden still misses him so much. We all do. As far as
my dad is concerned, it really was like losing a brother.
They’d both married girls who were
as much into bikes as they were, and they too had become best friends, doing
everything together, including falling pregnant at the same time, hence mine
and Aiden’s almost synchronized arrival.
So it stood to reason that Aiden
and I would grow up together, around the one thing that had brought all of our
parents together – bikes. He’d followed in his father’s footsteps and become a
regular competitor on the Superbike circuit, winning various titles and
becoming a pretty big name on the scene, especially back home in the
And now, with Aiden’s proposal
still ringing in my ears, I don’t think I’ve ever felt happier. Tomorrow, here
in
“What’re you smiling at?” Aiden
asks, noticing the dreamy expression that’s been permanently fixed on my face
since yesterday. I can’t help it. I’m a tomboy, yes, but even tomboys aren’t
averse to a little bit of romance now and again.
I look up at him. He’s so handsome
with his dark, messed-up hair and deep green eyes. No. That dreamy expression
could well be here to stay. “I’m just happy, that’s all.”
He smiles too, and I let my
stomach indulge in another round of breathtaking somersaults. Why not? Tomorrow
I’m going to be back in my overalls, up to my eyes in grease and engine oil, so
I’m making the most of every last second tonight has to offer me.
“One more for the road?” Dad asks,
turning to face Aiden and I. I’m so close to my dad. My mum died from cancer
when I was just twelve years old, and having no brothers or sisters meant it
was just me and my dad from then onwards. So, yeah, I’m a daddy’s girl, but I’m
no princess. He brought me up to love bikes and beer and hang out with the
boys. A former Superbike champion, my dad – along with Aiden – is my world. The
only men I’m ever going to need.
“Do you want to stay for one last
drink?” Aiden squeezes my hand and I nod and throw my dad a smile before he
turns to give our order to the bartender, a friendly young man with a myriad of
tattoos who’s been super-charming to us all night, even more so after he found
out we’d just gotten engaged.
We’ve been celebrating for hours
now, in this small but friendly local bar. We’d been joined earlier in the
evening by some old friends of my dad’s who live here in this small town in North
Carolina, but they’ve gone home now, and we should really be doing the same. We
all need a good night’s sleep so we’re ready for tomorrow. But it’s been such a
lovely night, full of laughter and reminiscing, and it’s going to take me some
time to come down from cloud nine. But we really should be heading back to the
hotel after this last drink. Aiden’s got a big day tomorrow and he needs to be
at his best.
“I love you, Izzi,” he whispers,
leaning forward to kiss me gently, and just the touch of his lips against mine
– a familiar feeling, but one I know I will never tire of – sends my heart
racing and my stomach flipping all over again. “I love you so much.”
I place my hand against his cheek,
my fingers stroking his skin, my eyes locking with his. We’ve known each other
our whole lives, yet sometimes it feels as though we’re seeing each other for
the very first time. The connection we have is something I’m not sure everyone
experiences even once in their lives, and I never take that for granted. We’re
very lucky.
“I love you too,” I whisper back,
returning his kiss, his fingers tightening around mine as the kiss deepens. And
then we suddenly pull back, remembering where we are, and we laugh like the
teenagers we’d once been when our dads had caught us kissing behind a burger
van at a bike rally that summer we’d finally realized the whole brother/sister
kind of relationship we’d had as kids wasn’t working anymore. We’d moved on.
We were laughing so much I hadn’t
even noticed the music stop, hadn’t realized everything had gone quiet. But now
a whole different kind of noise fills the bar; shouting, screaming, something
that sounds like a gun being fired… more than one gun.
More screams.
So much screaming…
Mack
“Mack! Mack, come on, wake up!”
“Jesus Christ, what the fuck’s the matter with you?” I open my
eyes and fix Duke with a look that could kill. At least, I hope that’s how it
comes across because, right now, I’m still feeling the effects of last night’s
party. “I’m trying to sleep here.”
“You said someone had to wake you
before two.” Duke sweeps a collection of empty cans and bottles from the table
in front of me into a black refuse sack. The noise it makes is way too loud for
my somewhat delicate head, and I wince as I haul myself up into a sitting
position. Yeah. Probably moved a bit too quickly there. “You’ve got a sit-down
with Viper and his crew at half past, remember?”
“Yeah,” I sigh, standing up and running
a hand over my hair. “I remember.” I look around the clubhouse at the carnage
surrounding us. Must’ve been one hell of a party. Just wish I could remember
it. “Hey, Duke, go make me a coffee. A strong one. And stick a bourbon shot in
there, too.” Might as well go down the old hair-of-the-dog route.
Duke throws the refuse sack over
his shoulder and heads off to the kitchen at the back of the clubhouse. He’s a
good kid is Duke. One of the best prospects the Soldiers of Darkness have had
in a while. It’s about time he was patched in, and I make a mental note to
organize that as soon as possible. I can’t see there being any objections.
Everyone likes Duke. He does as he’s told, and his loyalty is unquestionable.
I head off down a long narrow
hallway towards one of the rooms away from the main part of the clubhouse, the
ones we use when we need or want to crash here at the compound. I could do with
a shower. I feel like crap, but I don’t have to look like it. This sit-down
with Viper and his crew is an important one. It’s business we desperately need,
and I’ve got to have my head in the right place or they’re gonna look elsewhere
for another MC to work with. Viper makes good money dealing drugs and guns,
along with all the other shit he does on the side, whereas we’ve had a pretty
slow year on that score. On any score. So far. I’m determined that’s going to
change.
Nudging the door open with my
shoulder I roll my eyes as I’m faced with Odi, my VP, sprawled naked on the
bed, sporting a hard-on any man would be proud of. And then I look to his left,
and I understand why. An also-naked, dark-haired young woman is lying next to
him, her legs slightly spread, and I feel my own cock start to kick into
action. Shit! I’ve got an
overwhelming urge to go over there and ram it straight into her; it wouldn’t be
the first time I’ve woken a woman up that way. And none of them complained. But
the thought of fucking someone next to a naked Odi is enough to make my cock retreat.
Instead, I walk over to the bed and literally kick his ass.
“Wake up, shithead. And put some
fucking clothes on.”
Odi’s eyes spring open, his
embarrassed expression making me chuckle as I fling his jeans and boots at him.
His companion’s awake now, too, and her expression verges on nervous as she
pulls the sheet up over her naked body. She got nothing to be nervous about.
She’s going nowhere, I’ve already decided that. My cock’s taking charge again,
telling me I need something to chill me out before the sit-down, and she’ll do
just fine.
“Where’s the fucking fire?” Odi
mumbles, pulling on his jeans and raking both hands through his dirty-blonde hair.
“Go help Duke with my breakfast.”
I turn to look at his companion, throwing her my best smile, the one all the
women fall for. It never fails to reel ‘em in, I mean, come on! I’m one
good-looking son-of-a-bitch, not to mention President of the MC that,
basically, runs this town. I’ve never had a woman turn me down yet. And this
one, she’ll be no different. I can already see her expression changing, her
eyes staring me down as she slowly lets the sheet drop a little more. “What’s
your name, darlin’?” I haul out the full-on
“Shit, Mack…”
I don’t look at Odi, I don’t even
acknowledge his presence. He’s done here, and he knows that.
I wait until the door closes
behind him before I unzip my jeans and set my throbbing cock free. I almost
sigh with relief, but instead I let my smile grow a little wider as her eyes
fix on my dick.
“Come here, honey.”
She throws the sheet aside and
kneels up, stretching her arms up above her head, which means I’m treated to a
front-row view of her pert, round tits – they might be real, they might not be,
at this moment in time I don’t give a fuck – her nipples hard and inviting. But
it’s her pussy I’m after. I need to be in there, and quick. I need to piss real
bad, but I need to fuck her more.
“I said, come here.” I almost
growl the words out, and I can actually see her shiver, her breasts shuddering
slightly, which does nothing to stop the growing ache in my groin. And then she
leans forward and crawls towards me on all fours, her eyes never leaving mine
and I’m so fucking ready I almost come there and then. But I wait, because I
know what she’s gonna do, and I didn’t even need to instruct her. She knows
what I want.
I close my eyes, my heart beating
wildly in anticipation, and the second her mouth wraps around my cock I let out
the longest groan of utter relief. Her tongue’s working its magic as it flicks
lightly over the tip before she pulls me further in, an invitation to do my
worst, and I thrust against her, not too harshly, I’m not a complete asshole. I
keep my eyes closed, my fingers buried in her dark curls as she grasps my
balls, and I let out another groan. This won’t take long, I can already feel it
starting, feel the blood pumping so fast around my body I’m this close to
passing out. Jesus! She’s pulled me
so far in I can touch the back of her throat, and as she gently squeezes my
balls again, causing me to give one last thrust, I feel that relief I so badly
need start to rush out of me. I’m coming, so fast and so hard it’s making my
head spin, but I can’t stop. And she’s swallowing as fast as I’m coming, Christ! This one knows exactly what
she’s doing.
I feel her pull away from me and I
finally open my eyes, watching as she wipes her mouth with her forearm, licking
her lips just in case she’s missed anything. And then she lies back and spreads
her legs wide. I can see heaven and beyond, and my cock ain’t complaining. I
smile, a slow smile I’ve perfected ‘cause I know it gets them hot, before I
kneel between her long, tanned legs and ram it into her with a force that makes
her scream out loud, but she loves it. They all do. Like I said, nobody’s ever
complained.
I place my hands on her knees and
keep her legs wide apart as I continue to thrust into her, my eyes focused on
her tits as her body rocks back into the mattress. Her howls of pain and
pleasure wash over me, a turn-on I crave, and as I come once more, spilling out
inside of her, she lets out a particularly high-pitched cry. This girl’s a
screamer, but I like that. What guy doesn’t like a girl who shows her
appreciation?
“OK, darlin’. I think we’re done
here.” I pull out, completely satisfied now. “Time to get that pretty ass of
yours outta here.”
She knows the score, which means
she must’ve been here before. I’m not sure she’s one of the regular club whores
that hang around the compound, but she’s obviously savvy enough to know how it
works around here, especially if you’re lucky enough to be fucked by the
President. But I only ever fuck ‘em once. I ain’t ever fucked a woman twice,
and I ain’t about to start any time soon.
I barely acknowledge her as I walk
over to the mirror, smiling at my own reflection. I don’t look all that bad,
considering I spent most of last night consuming vast quantities of bourbon and
beer. At least, I’m assuming that’s what I did, seeing as my memories on that
score are still pretty vague. But my head’s in the right place now. That quick
fuck has seen to that. I’m ready for another day at the Soldiers of Darkness MC,
a place that’s been my haven forever.
This club made me.
This club saved me.
I’m about to enter my tenth year
here as President, and I’m determined it’s gonna be the best year yet. Because
I owe this MC everything. Without them, I’m not sure where the fuck I’d be…
Izzi
I have nothing but this holdall.
Everything I need is in here, because I don’t need all that much. A few changes
of clothes, make-up, the cream I’ve been told I still need to apply to the
newest of my tattoos.
I only used to have one, a very small
one, on the underside of my left wrist, and that’s been covered over now with
roses and thorns. It was a name. His name. Oh, I know people tell you you
should never have anyone’s name permanently etched into your skin because you
never know what might happen in the future. But he was different. We were going
to be together forever, no questions, no arguments. Until he was cruelly taken
from me, along with my beloved father, by some mindless, gun-wielding bastards.
That night, just over a year ago,
when we’d gotten caught up in someone else’s stupid, pointless war is a memory
I can’t rid myself of. It’s there, every day and every night, playing over and
over in my head on a constant loop. The memory of Aiden crashing to the floor,
killed instantly by a single bullet to the head; my father crouching down to
see to him only to be mercilessly gunned down himself. Those images are still
so vivid, yet, I can’t remember getting out of the bar. I don’t know if I just
walked out, or if someone got me out, I can’t remember, no matter how hard I
try. I just remember finding myself out in the parking lot as all around me people
screamed and shouted and the roar of motorbikes filled the air.
The love of my life, and my
father. Dead. Just like that. And nobody was brought to justice for taking away
the two people I loved more than anything in the world. Not one person. Everyone
who’d been in that bar that night just closed ranks, shut down; said nothing.
And nobody was brought to justice.
I went back home, to the
The bitterness grew, the memories
refused to fade, and all of a sudden even trying to move on became impossible.
I was never going to settle until I found the closure I needed.
I was a different girl now, to the
one I’d once been. Aiden wouldn’t even recognize me. Losing him has made me
this way. That night turned me into this hard and bitter woman with a fierce
determination to seek my own personal retribution on the people who’d robbed me
of my future. That’s why I’ve come here; back to where it all happened. Because
I need that closure. And I’m prepared, for whatever it is I have to do.
Whatever I have to face, I’m prepared. For anything.
Pushing open the door of my small
rented house on the edge of town, I throw my holdall onto the floor and look
around. This is my home now, for as long as it takes to finish the job I’ve
come here to do – to find the bastards who’d killed Aiden and my father.
I go back outside, out onto the
front porch, and I fold my arms against myself as I take in the view. All I can
see is fields and trees and the road some way over in the distance. It’s a
pretty view, actually; a calming view. The tranquility is nice. But I know I’ll
never really be calm, not until all of this is over. Coming here, and doing
this, it’s the only way I’m ever going to find any kind of peace.
Heading back inside I close the
doors and hunt around for the AC remote, finding it underneath a pile of magazines
on the coffee table. The blast of cool air is a welcome relief from the
stifling heat outside, and I take a minute or two to just stand still and take
in the enormity of what I’m here to do. And it still doesn’t scare me. I’m too
angry to let anything scare me. And it’s that constant anger that fires me up,
keeps me heading in this inevitable direction.
There’d once been a time – when
the grief had gotten way too much to bear, the despair too deep – when I’d
contemplated joining Aiden and my dad.
Now I just want to avenge their
deaths.
Somebody needs to pay for what
happened.
Somebody will.
Whatever it takes.
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