Torched (46 page)

I hadn’t told anyone on the outside that I was being released a month early, not that there were many to tell. Lex and Neil had visited almost weekly, and the old ladies of Linwood made a couple of their own clandestine appearances, but other than that, the past few months had been spent living a solitary existence. I’d mostly spent my time in the library or on kitchen duty. Not surprisingly, I wasn’t allowed anywhere near a computer.

As promised, Buddha made some calls and got me protection, procuring an ally in the form of Razz, the biggest, baddest bitch in this medium-security joint. After an awkward introduction in the showers, she’d grown on me. Despite her notorious temper and proclivity for starting shit just for the hell of it, she’d actually talked me off the ledge and kept me from throwing punches more than once. But true to form, Razz’s idea of a pep talk was a slap across the face, followed by telling me to “quit being a dumb fucking cunt bitch”. That was her loving way of telling me I was one of the lucky ones who wouldn’t be in for long and had a life to go back to.

Did I?

I hadn’t heard a word from Torch, but I really couldn’t harbor any anger about it without being a fucking hypocrite. This time, he was the one who knew exactly where to find me and I’d decided to leave the ball in his court. Maybe it was his way of throwing my eight years of silence back in my face. Payback was a bitch.

Or maybe I was simply dead to him. The girls didn’t seem to know what the hell was going on, except that he’d made a speedy recovery—after
two
attempts at busting out of the hospital with a fucking hole in his head—and was taking on a ridiculous number of runs, spending more time on his bike than at the clubhouse. When he
was
there for church or the occasional party, he was allegedly abrasive and withdrawn. Everybody was under strict instructions from Buddha not to even utter my name in his presence unless they wanted a broken jaw. It was apparently why the women were the ones reaching out, as their men were sticking to code and staying the fuck out of Torch’s personal business. It had been almost two months since their last visit—May Fair had rolled around again — but I assumed nothing had changed and I was in for either radio silence or in-my-face hostility when I returned home to Colorado.

God, home, I couldn’t fucking wait. Regardless of what I found there, I’d decided that I was done moving around. There was no reason to run anymore, Mitch’s organization had been destroyed. From what I’d heard, even his lowest-level minions lost all allegiance and disappeared the minute their leader went down. Once again, he’d taken a plea deal, giving him sixty years in prison instead of life. With good behavior, he’d be out in half of that, at the ripe old age of seventy four. Five of his closest associates had also taken deals and were given between twenty and forty years themselves.

In the meantime, I wasn’t going to waste any more of my life worrying about him. If he put a hit out on me from the pen, I’d be prepared, but I refused to run and cower. I’d had Neil transfer money to my landlord to keep the farmhouse, and the first thing I was going to do when I got back was take a long-ass bubble bath in my fabulous clawfoot tub.

After that? Fuck if I knew. I wanted so badly to see Torch and tell him that I still loved him more than anything in the world. But I wasn’t under any illusion that we could just pick up where we left off. I didn’t know whether he’d even listen, never mind care. I’d be lucky just to get my stuff back without him strangling me. I had no idea where my car or bike were, but last I’d seen them they were at the clubhouse. My personal shit—including cash, weapons, and various ID’s—were in the trunk, and my computer equipment was at his place. Hopefully he hadn’t gone on a rampage and destroyed everything.

Fuck.

Oh well, I’d deal with that tomorrow. Right now I just wanted to put on some normal clothes and get of of this cage.

After making our way to the processing desk, another officer handed me the bag of belongings they’d stashed during intake, namely a pair of jeans, t-shirt, cell phone, and a wallet holding a grand in cash. It would be enough to get me a cab to Snoop’s and go from there. Maybe I’d call Lex to haul me cross-country, but I just wanted a night to decompress before shit hit the fan.

As I walked outside a free woman and lit up a cigarette, the very last person I wanted to talk to again was waiting for me. It didn’t bode well for my plans of putting all this shit behind me.

“What are you doing here, Agent Rhodes?” I asked wearily.

“Nice to see you too, Livia,” she said, with what looked like a somewhat genuine smile. At least she wasn’t calling me Chloe anymore. She handed me an envelope and said, “Thought you’d like to see this.”

What the hell could I possibly want to see that involved the law right now? Irritated—but curious—I opened it and pulled out a piece of official-looking paper. It only took reading the first few lines for my mouth to curl up in a smile.

“Mitch was killed in Allenwood yesterday. Castrated and sodomized until he bled out,” she explained. “I don’t suppose you know anything about it?”

“How would I know anything about it?” I asked, handing it back to her and taking another drag.

“Well, whoever did it also carved a ‘C’ on his chest.
Chloe
.” She cocked her head to the side like she was honestly expecting an answer here.

The truth was, I didn’t have one, this was the first I was hearing anything about it. But it was pretty clear to me—probably both of us—who’d ordered it, conveniently the day before I was due to be released. The club still had my back. “Agent Rhodes, the only thing I know is that Mitch got exactly what he deserved.” I hit the power button on my cell, but it was dead. “Shit,” I sighed. “Can I borrow your phone to call a cab?”

“I already called. Should be here any minute.” She then looked me right in the eye and asked the most ridiculous question I’d ever heard, “I don’t suppose you’d be open to a conversation about coming to work for the DEA? We could use someone with your… skills.”

Was she fucking serious? I burst out laughing. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Dead serious. Despite what you think of me, I’m not your enemy. You could get on the right side of the law and start fresh—”

“Sorry, not interested,” I cut her off. “But thank you for the first laugh I’ve had in a while.”

She smiled back at me and shrugged. “It was worth a shot. Get in touch if you change your mind.”

“You really don’t quit, do you?” I tossed the cigarette to the ground and shook my head in amusement

She looked off into the distance. “Oh, I know when to cut my losses sometimes…”

The sound hit me as her voice trailed off.

Harley pipes.

Stunned, I spun around and stared down the main road. Two by two, all wearing Serpents cuts, they came around the bend. And kept coming. And came some more.

Holy fuck, there had to be almost a hundred of them.

I started walking across the parking lot, not trusting my eyes even though I’d recognize the two bodies and bikes leading the pack anywhere. Torch and Buddha came to a stop directly in front of me, some of the others riding past them and stopping in front, the other half pulling over directly behind.

I came to a stop, realizing that I had no idea what kind of reunion this would be. I kept my eyes on Torch while he dismounted and took off his half-helmet. He had a serious expression on his face as he walked around the bike and started slowly sauntering toward me. My stomach sank.

But he didn’t get far before a grin came over it and he stretched out his arms.

I ran.

I ran like fucking hell.

Torch caught me as I jumped into his arms and wrapped my legs around his waist. I buried my face in the crook of his neck and started crying. I could feel his entire body start to tremble, his hands digging into my back and fisting my hair.

“Don’t you
ever
fucking leave me again,” he whimpered in my ear, reminding me of the only other time I’d ever heard that kind of desperation in his voice. “You almost killed me, baby. Christ, just put a bullet in me next time.”

I raised my wet face and clutched his between both palms. “Never again. I’m not going anywhere. I love you so fucking much, baby. God, I love you.” My lips went straight for his. It was the most passionate and frantic kiss I’d ever experienced.

I didn’t want it to end, I didn’t want to let go. I never wanted to let him go ever again.

He was the one who finally pulled away, reaching back to unhook my legs. I slid down to my feet and watched as he dropped to one knee.

From his cut, he pulled out a ring featuring a round black diamond surrounded by little white ones, and looked up at me. “Livia Ash… Make it a fucking promise. Marry me.”

Through tears and a smile, I couldn’t help but talk shit. “Are you seriously proposing to me in front of a federal penitentiary? Really fucking romantic, babe.”

He growled. “I don’t give a shit about romance, my life’s not a fucking fairy tale. But having you as my queen is about as happily-ever-after as it gets and I’m not waiting. Don’t make me spank you into saying it—”

“Say yes,” Grimm yelled out.

“Put him out of his fucking misery,” Zed added.

I grinned and looked back down at Torch. “Yes… Yes today, yes tomorrow, yes everyday for the rest of my life. I’ll never hurt you like that again. I’m sorry.”

He jumped to his feet and slid the ring on my finger. Grabbing my wrist, he held my hand out for all to see and pulled me in for another kiss.

The applause and whistles were deafening, until some of the guys started revving their bike engines on top of it. Then it just sounded like a fucking monster truck rally. I swore I could see barbed wire shaking out of the corner of my eye.

“I’m sorry too, sweetheart,” he said, as leering guards forced the ruckus to simmer down. “I came here and sat outside that fucking fence probably a dozen times. But I couldn’t—”

Wait, what? “You were here?”

“Yeah. I just I wanted to be close. But I was pissed and confused as fuck. I couldn’t…”

I stared into those big, brown eyes and stroked her cheek. “It’s okay, I get it.”

“You always get it, baby. That’s why you’re mine. Today’s a new start, we’re leaving that shit behind.”

“Deal,” I said with a nod.

Buddha approached and slapped Torch on the back. “Alright, quit fucking hogging her. Come here, sweetheart, give the old man a hug.”

I obliged. First Buddha, then Zed, then every single member of the Linwood chapter. After them, I was introduced to brothers from chapters across five other states. I couldn’t even believe that this many of them had come to take me home, men who’d never even laid eyes on me.

No, that wasn’t true. I
could
believe it, because this was what these guys were all about. They took care of their own, no questions asked. This exact moment in time confirmed that I’d made the right choice. A series of them, actually.

I saw Rhodes over Torch’s shoulder and stepped around him to see what she wanted. I’d forgotten she was even here.

“Congratulations,” she said, then reached into her purse and pulled out another envelope. “I think you’ll need these.”

Torch and I glanced at each other, before I looked inside and shook out the contents. A birth certificate and social security card, both in the name of one, Livia Ash.

“They’re legit, the records are changed,” Rhodes assured me as I looked at her in shock.

I didn’t know what to say except, “Thank you.”

Torch reached out to shake her hand. “Thanks for letting us know she was getting out.”

She gave him a stiff nod. “You’re welcome. Take care of yourselves.” With that, she walked off and the rest of us headed toward the long line of bikes.

Torch jogged ahead and plucked something out of his saddle bag. When I reached him, he unfolded a black leather jacket and held it out in front on me. On the back was a painted version of the Iron Serpents logo with his road name under it. “Buddha said if you had a dick, he’d patch you in. But since you have a pretty little pussy instead, this’ll have to do,” he said.

“Really?” I looked around at everyone smiling at me.

Torch stepped around and helped me put it on. He handed me his helmet and slapped my ass. “Let’s go home, beautiful.”

I strapped on the helmet while he got comfortable, then threw a leg over and nuzzled into his back. He picked up my hand from his thigh and kissed it, before hitting the start button and peeling out. Our Harley motorcade followed. As soon as we could coast down the highway in sixth gear, he reached for my left hand again and wrapped it in his.

I hoped the next fourteen hundred miles would go slow. I wanted to savor every moment.

This was where I belonged.

Ride or die.

THE END

I hope you enjoyed reading the beginning of Liv and Torch’s story. The next book in the Iron Serpents series will be released in the spring. For updates on upcoming releases or to contact me, please swing by www.facebook.com/AuthorShayMara or visit www.ShayMara.com.

- Shay