Page 11 of Tick Tock, Boom!

“N-no, no, I got it right here,” he said, and to his credit, he did pull out a wad of cash. It was light. A few grand short.

“This is short,” I said, voice low. “Again.”

He stammered something about tough times, inflation, bullshit. I stepped forward, grabbed him by the front of his shirt, and slammed him back into the wall.

“You pay the Royal Bastards to keep the Bloody Scorpions off your ass. You think they’ll take a cut and a sob story?”

Barrel stayed back, arms crossed, but he didn’t move to stop me. Saddle watched it all unfold, eyes like a hawk.

“I…I’ll get the rest,” Frankie wheezed.

“You’ll get it now.”

He nodded furiously, stumbled over to a drawer, and pulled out a lockbox. When he handed it over, it was stacked full of cash. Enough to cover it all.

“You try to short us again,” I said, getting close, “I come back alone. And I won’t be talkin’.”

Frankie swallowed hard and nodded. I took the box, tossed it to Saddle. “Let’s ride.”

Back outside, as the three of us got back on our bikes, I caught Barrel looking over his shoulder, scanning the back streets. I kept my eye on him. He was acting way too weird tonight.

The engines roared to life, and we tore out of there, heading back to the clubhouse. I glanced at Saddle, and he gave me a small nod, steady as ever.

We were still loyal, still riding for Bulldog, but things were shifting. We could feel it among the new members. Some had already taken sides. Barrel was holding something close to the chest. And sooner or later, he was also gonna have to pick a side. Because men like Rancid? They didn’t stop until they were either crowned or buried.

And if it was up to me? I was ready to dig the fuckin’ hole myself if it meant protecting our name and that of our President’s.

TICK TOCK

Sleep wasn’t going to come tonight. After the last few nights of tossing and turning, I thought maybe the hum of my engine would burn the restlessness out of me. Maybe the road would quiet my mind, like it usually did. But it didn’t. Not this time. Not with her still present, still clawing at the back of my thoughts as if she had every right to be inside my head.

Amethyst.

That girl had stayed with me for the last week. I couldn't stop thinking of her, and fuck if I wanted to.

I rolled out of bed around two in the morning, didn’t bother with coffee, didn’t bother changing. Threw on my cut, strapped a blade to my boot, and climbed back on my bike. The engine roared to life and I let out a deep breath as I headed out to the one place I should have never been in, in the first place.

Velvet Chains.

The place was lit up in that same dark red glow, like blood behind satin. I parked out front, stepped inside, and instantly felt the change in the air. Sex. Power. Submission. It clung to the walls.

I searched the room for her as soon as I stepped inside. It took me a minute before I found her. She was dressed in black again, that thin little lace thing hugging her curves like a second skin. She was kneeling at some bastard’s feet, looking up at him like he was worth a damn.

My hands clenched into fists and I saw red. She was supposed to be mine. Even if she didn’t know it yet.

I took a step forward, murder in my chest, but a hand slid against my arm. I looked over to find that platinum blonde wildcat I'd met the last time, leaning in close, her voice smooth and sly.

“Careful now, Biker,” she purred. “Take it easy.”

I didn’t say a word, simply stared at the scene in front of me.

“She’s working,” she went on, stepping in front of me. “That’s what she’s here for. That’s her money maker. Let her play her part.”

My jaw ticked, and I stayed very still while she ran a sharp fingernail down my chest, right over my patch. “You want her?” she asked but I didn't respond. “You have to play the game. Look around you honey..." her hand swept the room. "You can be anything you want in here. That kitten deserves a Master. Call her over. She doesn't want to be chased. She wants to be told what to do.”

Then she winked at me and walked away, hips swinging.The kitten deserves a Master, her words kept replaying in my head as I looked back at Amethyst.

She was laughing at something the guy said, but her smile didn’t reach her eyes. No, it flicked over to me as if she'dfeltme watching. The longing in her gaze said she’d been waiting for me all along.

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