Page 108 of Claimed By the Biker Brothers

“I know.”

He tries to take me by the hand once more, but I reject him completely. “I can walk by myself,” I snap.

“Fine. Then walk.”

I give him a sour look, my stomach turning as bile rises up to the back of my throat. I’m not sure if it’s the morning sickness or just sheer disgust, but I have to push through. There has to be an opportunity for me to do something. My survival instincts are sharp. I’ve lived through so much already. It can’t have all been for naught.

Slowly, I exit the room with Paulie walking right behind me.

I noticed the gun on his belt. Judging the company he’s been keeping, I don’t think he’ll hesitate to use it on me. I make my way downstairs one step at a time.

The house is a wreck. It’s filthy and moldy, every surface covered in age-old grime and thick layers of dust. But the wide-open living room has my full attention. Marlo and Calvin are ready to greet their incoming guests while several guards linger in the hallway. I can hear the voices outside, the patting down of jackets. They’re getting checked for weapons before they’re allowed in.

“Show’s about to start,” Calvin says to me. “Sit down.”

“Kyra is safe. She’s upstairs,” Marlo adds. “She doesn’t know anything. I had the nanny—”

I cut her off. “With all due respect, Marlo, shut your fucking mouth about my daughter. I know you think you’ll get away with everything, but I promise you, you’ll never have Kyra.”

Calvin chuckles dryly. “You always were a fighter.” He pauses and gives Paulie an appreciative nod. “Thanks, buddy. Stick around.”

“I can just—”

“I said stick around,” he insists.

Paulie takes a deep breath and lowers his gaze. It dawns on me. “They don’t know?” I ask Paulie. “Jagger and Knox. They don’t know you’re the one who betrayed them.”

The front door opens. I hear the thudding of their boots as they come in.

“This is the best day ever,” Calvin quips.

As soon as Knox and Jagger step into the living room, I see the color drain from their faces. One look at Paulie, at Calvin and Marlo… and the cold hard truth hits them. It breaks my heart to see it all unfolding like this.

“I should’ve known,” Knox mutters. Paulie opens his mouth to say something, but Knox shakes his head and stops him. “I don’t even want to hear it.” He looks at me next. “Are you okay?”

“As okay as I can be,” I say. “But Knox, you know they’re not letting me walk out of here alive.”

“We’ll see,” Jagger cuts in, giving me a reassuring wink. “We’re here to negotiate.”

“Welcome, gentlemen,” Calvin says with a huge grin. “I suppose you want to hear about the terms and conditions first?”

Knox rolls his eyes. “We’re here to speak to Marlo. She’s in charge, right?”

“That I most certainly am,” she replies with a pleasant smile.

“Which makes you a fucking stooge,” Jagger chuckles as he looks at Calvin.

“Say that again,” Calvin says, almost losing control, his grip tightening on his gun.

“Calvin, please,” Marlo says, trying to calm him down.

But he doesn’t like that very much. It’s obvious to me. It’s sad she didn’t see this coming. Calvin takes a step forward. “Honey, let me handle this. I’ve been waiting a long time—”

“Calvin, please,” she says again. This time, I notice the shift in her voice.

And so does Calvin. He’s seething just beneath the surface, and I see a fire burning in his eyes. It’s the rage of a narcissist who thought he’d take center stage in this conversation. Oh, how the humiliation must sting on the deepest level.

“Gentlemen, the deal is simple,” Marlo adds, shifting her focus to Knox and Jagger while they keep stealing worried glances at me. “I’m sorry it had to come to this, but you didn’t leave me with any other option.”

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