Page 58 of Bonds of Obsession

Fuck. The possession in her voice hits me like a drug, spreading heat through my veins. I crash my mouth to hers again, backing her up against the wall. She gasps as I bite her bottom lip, and I swallow the sound, losing myself in the taste of her.

Her nails dig into my shoulders as I grind against her, and for a moment I consider saying fuck the meeting, fuck everything except burying myself inside her?—

“If you two are done trying to fuck through your clothes, we need to go.” Atlas’s voice cuts through the haze of desire in my head. He’s leaning in the doorway, cleaned up but still moving stiffly. Nico stands behind him, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.

Quinn breaks the kiss with a breathless laugh. “You’re one to talk.”

“Maybe,” Atlas smirks. “But unlike some people, I had enough sense to get off this morning.”

I grunt, adjusting myself in my jeans. “Keep talking and I’ll pop the rest of your stitches.”

We head out to the bikes, the easy back and forth dying down as we focus on what’s coming. The ride to the old corner store is tense, even though we all know the area like the backs of our hands. We’re all watching for threats, for any sign that this might be a trap. Quinn rides between us, protected on all sides—though at this point, I’m not sure if we’re protecting her or if she’s protecting us.

The thought settles something in my chest. Whatever Zoey and her new “Twisted Tyrants” have planned, they’re about to learn what happens when you fuck with what’s ours.

The old Quick-Stop comes into view up ahead, a crumbling fixture in the local community where you can get a tank of gas, a hot sandwich, a bottle of whiskey, and a dime bag of weed without any trouble.

Hopefully there isn’t any trouble waiting for us today.

Just in case, I’m already counting threats as we pull into the lot and cut our engines. There are fourteen bikes besides Zoey’s, spread out in a loose semi-circle. A show of force.

Stefan stands at Zoey’s right hand like her personal attack dog, but it’s the faces behind them that interest me more.

One by one, at least half the guys around them shift their weight, avoiding Nico’s eyes. A couple of them keep glancing atAtlas, guilt written all over their fucking faces. They might wear Twisted Tyrants patches now, but loyalty isn’t something you can steal with a coup.

“Well, well.” Zoey’s smile is predatory as she takes in the four of us. There’s something manic in her eyes now, a hunger that wasn’t there before. Power suits some people. With others, it twists them inside out until they’re unrecognizable. “The mighty have fallen far enough to answer my call.”

Quinn’s hand brushes mine, a silent warning to stay calm. Smart woman. She knows I’m calculating exactly how many of these fuckers I could take out before they had a chance to draw their weapons.

“Wouldn’t miss it.” Nico’s voice could freeze hell. “I wanted to see how many people you had left to hide behind.”

Zoey’s smile falters. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“How many ofmyold club members jumped ship when they realized what kind of ‘leadership’ you were offering?”

The flash of rage in her eyes confirms it. She’s been losing people—good riders who know what a real MC is supposed to be. Not this dictatorship she’s created.

“They were weak.” Stefan speaks up, his voice hard. “Couldn’t handle the changes needed to make us stronger.”

“Changes like what?” Atlas growls. “Breaking legs when someone questions orders? Threatening families?” His lip curls. “Word gets around, you know. This city isn’t that fucking big.”

One of the guys flinches at that. Interesting. It seems like Zoey’s new management style isn’t sitting well with everyone.

“At least we still have a club.” Zoey’s fingers drum against her bike’s handlebars. “What do you have? A whore and some borrowed territory?”

Quinn starts forward, but I catch her wrist. Not here. Not yet. Although judging by the way a couple of Zoey’s men tense up,I’m not the only one who noticed their new leader just made a dangerous mistake.

“Watch yourself.” Nico cuts through the bullshit. “Now, did you want something? Or did you drag us here just to measure dicks?”

“Maybe I just wanted to see how far you’ve fallen.” Her smile turns cruel. “The mighty Princes of Carnage, reduced to this. It’s almost?—”

“Enough.” Nico’s voice cracks like a whip. “Either say what you came to say, or we’re done here.”

I watch Zoey’s face carefully, reading the micro-expressions. The flicker of uncertainty. The way her eyes dart to Stefan before she speaks. Behind her, some of our old brothers still won’t meet our eyes.

She’s hiding something. And whatever it is, it’s big enough to make her nervous, even with all her borrowed muscle flexing around her.

“We want the territory between Fifth and Market.” Zoey’s tone hardens as she finally gets down to business. “All of it. Non-negotiable.”

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