Page 67 of A New Era

JJ tips his chin and I look over my shoulder. Holly’s walking out and I meet her at the bottom of the steps and collect her in my arms.

“I’m so sorry, babe. I fuckin’ swear that’ll never happen again.”

“I just want to go home and take a shower,” she says so quietly it takes me back to the nights we’d talk after one of her nightmares. If this experience sets her back, I’ll burn down the whole fucking town.

Kissing the top of her head, I walk her over to my bike and now is when I plan. For this to never happen again, I’m going to have to push boundaries until they’re so far behind me that I can’t see them any longer.

It’s how I find myself on the sheriff’s street late that night with Myles at my back. With the photos of her family tucked into my inside pocket, I climb off my bike and join Myles by her back door. He’s managed to pop her lock without bringing any attention to us.

“You want a ski mask?” he whispers.

“No.”

I want this bitch to see my face, to know who the fuck will end her life if she ever comes for my old lady again or any brother’s old lady.

Her place is sparsely furnished, it’s definitely not a home for her. We creep through her house, pushing open doors until we find her sleeping in her bed.

“If she makes a move for her gun, go for yours,” I instruct him quietly.

I don’t make a sound walking into her room, she’s sleeping for sure, and her breathing is too relaxed.

I remember my dad telling me once that to lead the club, every decision is made with ninety percent head and ten percent heart.

My decision has been made with no input from my heart. Digging my knee into the mattress, I straddle the bitch and slam my hand down over her mouth as her eyes fly open. I could’ve moved her gun from the nightstand, but I want her to see I don’t give a shit.

Now fully awake, she tenses beneath me. I grin.

“You have no idea what I’m capable of. This is your last chance to stay the fuck away from me, my family, and my club.”

Keeping one hand over her mouth, I use the other to pull out the photos of her family.

Dropping them one at a time, her eyes widen and finally, fucking finally, she looks at me like I’m a threat to her.

“You will not win against me. Come for me or mine again and I will kill every single one of them. Your badge, the law, none of it scares me. You don’t scare me, but if you have half a brain, you’ll be scared of me.”

Hauling myself off of her, I leave her with the photos and walk out. I leave her back door open, it’s not like she’ll be falling back to sleep any time soon.

“I like how you work.” Myles grins.

“It’s how we all work from now on.”

Just as I thought, she doesn’t call it in, and we walk back to our bikes without the cops coming guns blazing for us. Both straddling our rides, I ask Myles, “What’s up with your brother? He’s not been himself lately.”

Pulling on his riding gloves, pain flashes across his face. “Believe it or not but he hasn’t said much to me, just keeps vowing that he’s never going back to prison. He’s more intense than usual with Aspen too, and she’s near her end with it.”

That’s not good. Since Mase has been with Aspen, he’s not as unpredictable. In fact, neither he nor Myles are such a liability with the crazy shit they used to pull since they found their old ladies.

“I’ll talk to him tomorrow, and see what’s going on with him.”

“Good luck.”

* * *

As luck would have it, Mason’s about to leave the club as I ride in. Myles headed home so I haven’t got to send him away to talk to his twin. Signalling for him not to leave, I park my bike and walk over to him.

“Where’s Aspen?”

For a moment I picture her tied up and trapped in a cupboard in their house. Myles and Mason weren’t interested in moving into the newly built homes here.

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