*
Cade didn’t think of himself as a violent man. However, the string of blood patches lining the bottom of his cut said otherwise: One patch for every life taken. A skull and crossbones for his tenth kill. And a Master of Mayhem patch telling the world he’d made violations for his club.
Violations he’d willingly make again.
The Sinners had given him the brotherhood and camaraderie he missed after leaving the army, and a way of life that made him look forward to every day when, for the longest time, he thought of nothing but ending it all.
And right now, his club’s dominance was being threatened by a member of the Devil’s Brethren who dared step foot in Sinner’s Tribe territory; a biker who had stared at Dawn as if he owned her and Cade was the one in the wrong.
He wants to stick it to the Sinners.
Well, fuck that. No damn member of the Brethren would intrude on his territory, whether it was his town, nestled at the foot of Montana’s Bridger Mountains, or a beautiful green-eyed blonde with a dry wit, a sharp tongue, and the sexiest body he’d ever had the pleasure to fuck.
Time had not diminished his desire in the least. When he’d seen Dawn standing under the tree, dark blond waves blowing gently around her heartbreakingly, beautiful face, lush curves filling out a slender frame, he almost crashed his bike. No one had ever affected him the way Dawn did, and over the last year he’d made the effort to find out.
“He’s their father.” A statement. Not a question. Although he had questions for Dawn. Like, what the fuck was she doing with such a loser? When did they split? And was it before she and Cade got together? Not that he had any issues with martial infidelity—he’d fucked plenty of married women, most of them better lays than the inexperienced hang-arounds at the club who were desperate to get into his bed—but he hadn’t pegged Dawn as an old lady. And Arianne would have told him if she was still involved with the Brethren.
“Yeah, but we’re not together anymore.”
“I can’t stand by and let one of the Brethren ride around my town like he’s got the fucking right to be here. It’s like a slap in the face.”
Too bad Mad Dog was already rolling his throttle, preparing to flee. Except for the monthly fight matches at the clubhouse, Cade rarely got a chance to fight—properly fight—and he’d always been a brawler, taking out the stress of living in an abusive household on anyone who rubbed him the wrong way. Even after he’d joined the army he’d been disciplined countless times for scrapping.
“You have to do what you have to do.” Dawn seemed surprisingly unconcerned that Cade was about to hunt down the father of her children. Her ex. Whatever had happened between them must have been bad.
Real bad.
Mad Dog accelerated into the traffic and Cade threw himself on his bike.
“I’m gonna take care of him.” And not just for the club. He was more than happy to serve up a little justice. Sinner style.
Moments later he was off, mindful of the mothers and children crossing the street, not as mindful of the red lights or stop signs. He was an outlaw, after all, and the sheriff’s department in Conundrum knew better than to interfere with Sinner business. Until last year, the Sinners had Sheriff Morton on their payroll, but after the sheriff had been picked up by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) for selling confiscated weapons, a new sheriff arrived with a new deputy in tow and they weren’t amenable to engaging in business with outlaws. In other words, they couldn’t be bought.
Unlike Mad Dog’s fucking sister. What the hell was going on there? Why did Dawn have to pay to see her kids? And how the heck did they wind up with their aunt? How was it he knew so little about her and yet she was the one woman he hadn’t been able to get out of his mind?
He thought he’d had Dawn all figured out their first night together. Smart, savvy, and sexy, she knew what she wanted and she took no prisoners. He’d imagined nights of sweaty fucking, his cock buried inside her pussy, her generous breasts filling his palms, the sweet sound of surrender as he gave her the kind of pleasure only a man with his experience could give. And then, when he tired of her, or when she became clingy and demanding of his time, the inevitable good-bye. His first clue things weren’t going to go as planned was when he woke up in bed alone after their first night together, the second, when it happened again.
But not this time. After he dealt with Mad Dog, he’d pull out all the stops and get her back in his bed. Then he’d fuck her until they were so exhausted neither of them could run away. She wanted him. He knew it from the way she licked her lips when she looked at him, and how her cheeks flushed when he touched her, the way her mouth parted, inviting him in …
Fuck me, Cade.