Page 67 of Queen of Blades

Whistling, Dwight poured some of the brown liquid into each cup.

Lifting one, he scooted closer and offered it to her. “I have my club and my woman. You have no idea how hard I’ve worked for this moment. The least you could do is celebrate with me.”

She gaped at him. “My father is dead. You fucking burned me and stuck me in a cage.”

He stared back at her blankly.

“I finally have what’s mine. I’ve waited a long time for this. You should be happy for us.”

Harper scoffed. This man was fucking insane. “Us?” she scoffed. “Dwight, there hasn’t been anussince high school. What about Vanessa? And your kids?”

Apparently accepting that she wouldn’t drink with him, he lifted the red plastic cup to his lips and took a large gulp. “Vanessa is a whore, and the kids are fine. She’s not my ol’ lady. You are.”

“No, I am not.”

“My brand says differently.” He grinned smugly.

“I’ll cut that shit off the first chance I get.”

His smile fell. “I told you before, and I don’t enjoy repeating myself. Harper, you aremy property.Always have been, always will be. From the time we were kids, you were meant for me. I let you go off and play your lawyer games. You were right back then. We weren’t ready. So, we both sowed our oats. Now that I have the club, it’s time I settle down.”

“What are you rambling about?” Harper shook her head at him.

He tapped the patch on his cut. “President.”

“So?”

“Everything has fallen into place. When I put the bounty out on you, I had thought your dad would run to your rescue right away. I was actually surprised he didn’t say fuck all until those idiots from the laundromat kidnapped you.”

Harper did her best not to wince at the retelling of her father’s inaction. Paul had already made that perfectly clear to her, but to have Dwight confirm it broke her heart. She swallowed the tears that wanted to fall because they’d do her no good.

Especially when darkness filled his eyes as he took another pull of whiskey. “So, I admit, I had to regroup a little. I thought he’d bring you back to the clubhouse for protection. Then when someone came to get you, he’d get caught in the crossfire.” He grinned and made a gun gesture with his empty hand. “Friendly fire.” He snickered.

A new flurry of rage bloomed in her chest. If Paul didn’t carve out his heart, she wanted to. She’d have to insist upon it when the chance presented itself.

“Things didn’t totally go to plan, but…” He lifted one of his shoulders in a half shrug. “I still got what I wanted. The Colombians accepted my terms, and we did what needed to be done.”

“You?” Harper scoffed.

Dwight bristled, and she knew she’d struck a nerve. He hated when anyone called him out for being less than. She pushed that button harder. What did she have to lose?

“Youkilled my dad?” She added a subtle snort-like half chuckle at the end to really hammer her point home.

“It had to be done,” he said nonchalantly. “Honestly, he spent more time strung out than leading. I’ve been calling the shots for a while. He wouldn’t step down, and the pussies wouldn’t vote him out. I did what I had to.”

Harper knew she hated Dwight before, but this took it to a new level. “I cannot wait to spit on your grave.”

Again, he laughed. “Oh, baby. Don’t be that way. I know it isn’t the best love story, but we aren’t good people. Our happily ever after was bound to be a little bumpy—and bloody.”

“Fuck you.”

“We will. Don’t worry.” Again, his gaze took on a blackness that sparked a tinge of fear in her. He looked like a demon. It wasn’t natural. “I don’t need your permission anymore, baby. Make no mistake, I’ll fuck you until you’re fat with my baby, then do it all over again. You’remine, Harper. You always have been. The sooner you get that through your thick skull, the easier it will be, but until then, you’ll be caged, chained, and I will fuck the stubbornness out of you in front of everyone. Especially that pussy who hid you from me. Once I break you, I’ll finish the job I started in the laundromat.”

38

Paul

Crackinghisknuckles,Paulsat in the passenger seat of the black Lexus SUV with the tinted and bulletproof windows, doing his best to remain calm. They’d taken too long to round people up. The more time Harper spent with the bikers, the more danger she was in. Little Junior could only protect her for so long. If he was even around anymore. They took out Snoopy. Nothing prevented them from eliminating Little Junior. Hell, they might have even put a bullet in Baby Boy, Harper’s youngest brother, who was barely old enough to prospect but would have an allegiance to Snoopy.

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