Page 106 of Claimed By the Biker Brothers

Diesel, Jagger, and Knox would never stand for that. It’s the one thing I know for sure. Whatever these maniacs think they’re doing, it won’t work. Even if something, God forbid, happens to me… my guys will go scorched earth on everyone’s asses if that’s what it takes to get Kyra back safe. But we’re not done yet. I still have a baby growing inside me, a reason to keep fighting. I just have to be smart about it.

“Robyn, I’m not sure you understand,” Marlo says, hands casually resting on her bony hips. “You don’t have a say in anything at this point.”

I scoff and shake my head. “Wow, you’re off your rocker. So what’s the plan, Marlo? You use me as bait to get the guys, right? You kill us all. And then what? You and Calvin ride off into the sunset with my daughter?”

“You make it sound kind of silly.” She giggles softly. “But yeah, pretty much.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Robyn, I’ve been working toward this moment for a while now. I’ve got money invested in new projects. I’ve got business partners and a great outlook for the future. I’ve rekindled many of my daddy’s connections. And like it or not, Redwood is going back to the way it was a half-decade ago. It will be mine, every damn street corner.”

“It’ll never work,” I say. “The people have seen for themselves that Redwood can thrive without your toxic filth, without kids gunning other kids down in the streets for a fucking eight ball. And with the DEA already here, you’re nuts if you think—”

“Honey, the DEA is in on it.”

“What?” I gasp.

“Well, Spalding is anyway. He’s a principal partner. You see, he understood the real issue. You take one dealer down; another one pops up to take his place. You take a kilo of heroin off the streets, then somebody else puts another kilo back on the streets. It never ends because there will always be a demand for this stuff. It’s the most lucrative business this country has to offer.”

“You make me sick.”

“Well, I would’ve loved to continue with real estate development, truth be told, but the Sinaloa cartel made me an offer I couldn’t bring myself to refuse,” Marlo continues as if I didn’t speak. “A couple of risk analyses later, and I realized that what my daddy and my grandaddy before me were doing was worth the hassle and the risk. Your precious Riders thought they could take the self-righteous path all the way through, but it doesn’t work like that.”

“They’ve been changing Redwood for the better. They created jobs for the people. Their businesses are pouring money back into the local economy. Come on, Marlo, you’re supposedly a smart businesswoman. You’d be an idiot not to recognize the value they’ve added to Redwood, to the whole district.”

“It’s peanuts compared to what my dope routes bring in,” she replies. “Listen, Robyn, like I said, it’s nothing personal. The Riders are in my way, and you’re an excellent hook for their leadership. Once it’s done and over, Calvin will decide what we’re going to do with you. I can’t promise much, though, except maybe a quick death. I’m sure I can get him to agree to that.”

I stare at her in genuine disbelief. “You’re together?”

“It was only natural. Your time is over, Robyn. No need for jealousy—”

“What jealousy?” I say with a wholehearted laugh. “Calvin is a narcissistic piece of shit. He had me going for a while, I’ll give him credit for that much. But he’s mediocre in every possible sense. Even in bed, he’s nothing special.”

Marlo chuckles. “Now, now, don’t lie.”

“I’m not lying. I’m the one who made the emotional connection. It was my love for him that made Calvin special, Marlo. You take your feelings out of the equation, and you’ll realize precisely how worthless he actually is.” I glare at her with narrowed eyes. “What, you thought you were missing out?”

“Not missing out. I knew it was only a matter of time before he’d turn to me. Then the whole prison thing happened, and, well…”

“The whole prison thing happened because Calvin killed a man.” I say as I stare at her, disbelief clouding my voice. “Marlo, are you not hearing yourself? And do you really think my daughter will ever accept you? Say you get away with it all. Say I’m dead and buried and you’ve got Redwood back where you want it. Do you really think my daughter will ever look at you and see anything other than the bitch responsible for the death of her mother?”

Marlo shoots me a cold glare, the kind that sends shivers down my spine. I have a feeling she might pull the trigger herself if given the chance, but Calvin wants that honor. I never bought his whole “I miss you” shtick anyway. That man lies the same way he breathes—effortlessly.

“Kyra will grow up. Her memories of you will fade. I’ll make sure of it. You’ll be a nobody in the dark recesses of her mind,” Marlo says. “Calvin and I will be her family. And someday, I’ll give her a little brother, someone she’ll be able to support when it’s time to take over the business.”

“Oh, you’re not going to pass your drug empire on to Kyra?” I scoff.

“Myblood inherits everything, not yours,” Marlo hisses. “Be thankful I intend to spare her life.”

I point a furious finger at her, no longer able to control myself. “Thankful for what? For the way you’ve both been tormenting me? For kidnapping me? For not letting me see my own child? Grow up, Marlo. You’re not God. You’re just a drug dealer yearning for a prick’s affection. Sooner or later, all of this will come back to bite you in the ass.”

“You’ll be long gone by then.”

I keep trying to talk some sense into this woman, but I don’t think it’s working. “Calvin is playing you. He’ll get you killed. Knox, Diesel, Jagger… they’ll never let you live. They’ll never allow you to hurt me.”

“Yet here you are,” she says, sounding bored now. “Relax, Robyn. It’ll all be over soon. And like I said, I’ll make sure it’s quick for you. I’ll get Kyra out of here before it happens.” She pauses and thinks about it for a moment. “You know what? I’ll do you another kindness. I’ll let you say goodbye to your daughter when the time comes.”

My limbs tremble with rage. The inability to do anything is too much to bear. I’m getting dizzy. As much as I try, I have no choice but to sit down before I fall over.

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