Flame nodded once and his mouth tightened. “Yeah, I killed the fucker.” His tattooed orange flames danced on his tense neck as his crazy black eyes fixed on Maddie. A fuckin’ murderous glare.
Maddie stood right in front of him—brass balls, I thought—as Flame’s chest jerked erratically. Then, suddenly, she released a choked sob and threw her arms around Flame’s waist.
Flame froze and his black eyes widened to the size of plates. His hands shot up in the air clenching into fists. Fuck! The brother couldn’t be touched. He was about to go nuclear.
“Thank you,” Maddie whispered and pressed her cheek flat to his cut. “Thank you so very much…”
Flame’s eyebrows pulled down in confusion and his black eyes glared down at her wrapped ’round his waist. Then we all froze as his hands lowered and flattened awkwardly on her back. His nostrils flared as Maddie released another sob and cried, “You freed me. You freed me from him.”
Flames eyes squeezed shut and his teeth clenched. But he didn’t push her off, didn’t scream, jerk, or hit out. The fucked-up brother just let it happen.
Ky turned to me, shock clear on his expression. I shrugged. I could never get a read on the brother. Never knew what the fuck he was thinking.
Maddie pulled back with a small smile and Flame’s eyes bored into hers. She began walking back to Mae, but not before glancing over her shoulder. “What is your name?” she asked Flame nervously.
Flame’s lips parted and he released a hiss of a breath before muttering, “Flame.”
Maddie smiled a wide, stunning smile. “You have my eternal gratitude, Flame. I am forever in your debt.”
Flame stared and stared at Maddie, a fuckin’ hungry expression on his face. I cleared my throat to break the tension and Mae tore her worried eyes off the brother to focus back on me.
Where’s Rider? I signed.
Mae’s eyes widened and the pulse in her throat started racing.
“Gone,” she whispered and stared at the ground.
I clicked my fingers to get her attention. My jaw tensed as she looked up and I signed, Gone the fuck where?
Mae began fidgeting with her hands. She weren’t telling me something.
“He got away…” Her eyes filled with tears. “He saved my life, Styx. He killed Brother Jacob.”
All the brothers tensed.
Explain, I signed, my fingers stiff.
“He was running away. He tried to get me to go with him.” I knew my face looked like that of Hades himself. “I said no, of course.” She assured me quickly. “But then Jacob came at us with a gun.” Her bottom lip began to tremble. “Cain, that is, Rider, killed him… He snapped Jacob’s neck, right in front of me. He killed, Styx… for me. You must understand, for him, due to his faith, this was a mortal sin; he killed one of his own, a chosen one, an elder… He damned his soul for me. I was right to give him his freedom.”
I threw my head back and squeezed my eyes shut. Rider, Cain, whatever the fuck his name was. The bastard was always getting in my fuckin’ way. Why couldn’t the cunt just fuck off, out of our lives for good?
A small, gentle hand gripped mine. I opened my eyes to see Mae staring up at me, her wolf eyes huge and apologetic. “He left once and for all because I chose you, Styx. I told him I loved you, only you. That I would only ever be with you,” she whispered for my ears only.
My anger faded a little, and gripping Mae’s nape, I crushed her to my chest, my mouth at her ear. “H-Home. I n-need to have you h-home. And away f-from this fuckin’ p-place.”
Her chin lifted and she smiled in relief. “And my sisters?”
“They come too.” I snapped my head to the left, to Ky, who had answered Mae’s question. Ky, who was still staring at Lilah. And Flame who was boring fuckin’ holes into Maddie, his black eyes bordering on possessed.
Jesus. H. Christ. This weren’t gonna be easy. These cock-twitchin’ bitches were sure as shit gonna stir things up at the club.
Great. More fuckin’ drama.
***
“Prez! Where the fuck you going?” Viking shouted from the sofa, his newest lay sprawled on his lap, hand down his jeans, jerking the brother off.
Out, I signed and headed for the yard, beer in hand, heading to my usual bench opposite the mural.
“What the fuck’s up his ass?” I heard Viking shout, but I ignored the dick. I had plenty pissing me off already, didn’t need no more.
Mae had been with her sisters in the apartment since we got back, trying to calm them the fuck down. Getting ’em back to the compound had been a fuckin’ riot. The bitches rocking, hands on knees, in the corner of the van like we were trafficking them across the border or some shit. Never seen anything like it.
Complete mindfuck.
As I sat down, I stared at the painting of Persephone and thought of Mae. Thought of that bastard commune, what she’d been through. A wave of nausea rolled in my stomach, and I pulled out a smoke, lighting up. As I took a drag, I tipped my head back and exhaled. Loved that bitch more than I ever thought possible, but her coming from that place to this… fuck… I was starting to think it weren’t such a good idea. She deserved more. More than outlaw life.
Hearing the door from the bar click open, I glanced over the yard.
Mae.
Seeing me on the bench, she headed over to me. She’d changed, white wedding dress gone, tight black jeans and tank in its place. She was so fuckin’ beautiful, the brothers from the other chapters all gawking when they saw her on my arm. Fuckers knew with one look why I went to war to get her back.
Standing before me, she tilted her head and ran her hand through my hair. I closed my eyes and groaned. Focusing on Mae again, I tapped my knee, telling her to sit. Smiling, she did as I asked and wrapped her arms round my neck.