“I kept it all from you. You were so innocent to this way of life before and I wanted to keep it that way. I thought I could shelter you.” He shakes his head. “I was stupid, and look where it got us.”
“I’m just curious about him,” I mutter. “I don’t care about him.”
“Chains went to Manchester. We have other MC charters and that was one of them. Cobra was heading it up, but Chains said he was a sick fucker. The parties were out of control, rapes, drugs, women kept there against their will. It was nothing like the Kings. Chains got out of there when they pinned a woman down and asked him to rape her. He took the girl and Raven and made a run for it. We went there and ended the club, closed it down. But Riggs gave Cobra a chance, something he doesn’t do often. He let Cobra walk because at the end of the day, he was still a brother. He trusted him to keep his head down, but that didn’t happen.”
I tuck my legs underneath me and try to picture what he might have looked like. “Raven was there?”
Blade nods. “Chains brought her back here. The other woman went into one of Vinn’s women’s shelters to get help. Raven’s a tough one, and she decided to stick with Chains. But Cobra came back to London. He tried to set up another MC to rival us. He sent someone to Chains’ place and had Raven hurt. She was bad. Cobra was ended because he came for us. It was us or him. There’s always a reason if someone dies at our hands.”
“So when you met me, did you know he was my dad?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “No. I stumbled upon your amazing liquorice and couldn’t stay away.” He grins. “Cobra asked the club to watch over you because he thought his enemies would come for you. That’s when I realised who you were.”
“Why would you do him any favours?”
“We weren’t. We decided it wasn’t our problem, but by then, I knew who you were and I couldn’t walk away knowing someone might hurt you because of that bastard.”
“You should have,” I mutter. “Then you wouldn’t be here.”
“But you would be and God knows what he’d be doing to you right now.”
We fall silent. “Who killed him?” I eventually ask and he grins.
“Oh, baby, you don’t give up. You’re taking advantage of a weak man. It’s not right,” he chuckles.
I stand, moving towards him and placing my arms over his head. I kiss him gently and he groans. “I’m sorry,” I whisper. “No more secrets,” I add.
He sighs. “Me. It was me.”
I nod. It’s what I suspected, but I’m glad he’s finally been honest. I kiss him again. “Now, we just have to get out of here alive.” He rests his head against my shoulder and I find myself twiddling his hair absentmindedly. Seconds later, his soft snores make me smile. He needs his rest.
The moment I’d been dreading all day is here. Viktor is sitting beside me like I’m his trophy bride while one of his men unfastens the chains on Blade’s wrists and ankles. Talking with Blade through the night, even under the sad circumstances, has made me feel closer to him. The fact he might now end up seriously hurt—or worse—makes me sick to my stomach. I’ve spent the entire day listening to those disgusting pigs crunch on Acid’s bones, and don’t get me wrong, I’m glad it was him and not me or Blade, but still . . . no one deserves to be eaten by pigs.
Blade moves his neck from side to side, rounding his shoulders. There’re two men standing by looking smug. “My money is on the trained boxer,” whispers Viktor, and my heart aches even more. Of course, it was never going to be a fair fight.
“You never explained what I’d get if I win,” says Blade.
Viktor laughs loudly. “But you won’t, so why get your hopes up?”
“It’s nice to be inspired,” he retorts.
Viktor nods in agreement and then he grabs me by the chin and kisses me. His tongue pushes into my mouth, and despite me shoving at his chest, he doesn’t let go. When he eventually pulls away, I wipe my mouth and look at Blade, who is fighting to break free from two men holding him back. Viktor smiles. “How about that for inspiration? You lose and you get to watch the whole show,” he says. “Now, hurry, that kiss has me all warmed up.”
The men take Blade into a makeshift ring of ropes tied around traffic cones. There’re stools around it with more men waiting to see the fight. Viktor grabs me by the hand and leads me to two spare stools. This whole thing is crazy and I keep poking myself, praying it’s a nightmare.
Blade’s first up against a man matching his size. Viktor leans close. “This is the boxer,” he says, winking. A bell rings and the men circle each other with their fists raised. The opponent moves first, taking a jab at Blade, who blocks it. “You know, it’s all pointless. He can win or lose, I’m still taking you from him and keeping you as my pet,” says Viktor, and all hope leaves me. I’ve got to watch Blade get beat to death, and then this monster is still taking me.
“I’m pregnant,” I mutter.
Viktor’s eyes narrow and then he smiles that creepy grin once again. “I can sort that for you,” he says coolly. “My sister got pregnant at thirteen. Obviously, it was out of wedlock. We couldn’t have her shame the family.” I wince as Blade takes a punch to the jaw. “I punched that bastard right out of her,” he adds. I cover my mouth, bile rising in my throat. “Yes, it hurt, but it solved her problem. She was thankful in the end.”
I hadn’t given much thought until right now
