Page 1 of Deadly Little Hearts

Chapter 1

Lucas

Freyareachesouttome, her face a mixture of pain and worry.I stumble backward, my foot hitting something, and I fall to the ground.My heart rips in two, and it’s all her fault.She did this—the only person I’ve ever let in.The woman I’m falling for.

She killed my mother.She pointed the gun at her chest and pulled the trigger.All for what?Revenge for her brother’s death?But is killing my mom going to bring Alec back?No.My chest aches, and I want to rip my heart out.

I’ve watched Hazen and Gage seek revenge on people countless times, but I’m more of a free love kinda guy.And if she really loved me, how could she kill my mom?How could she make me an orphan?

Do I believe my mother killed Alec LeClair?Yes.Did I believe my father when he said Alec was his son?Fuck.It hurt to find out that Freya and I shared a brother I knew nothing about.I have so many questions that I won’t ever get answers to.

Maybe my mother made some mistakes when I was younger.She did everything my father ordered.She helped create the man I am today—someone who sold himself to The Brotherhood, a soldier.But she only did it because she wanted me to make the best out of my situation, to become someone that people respected.She was always someone I could count on, and maybe we didn’t have the traditional mother-son relationship, but in our world, having someone believe in your worth felt a lot like love.

I lost my father and mother tonight as I became a leader of The Daring Brotherhood.It’s a night to go down in history, when I became one with my brothers Hazen and Gage.Signing away my body, soul, and spirit.

“Lucas!”Freya calls to me again.

I harden my gaze and stare at the dead leaves beneath me on the ground.

What a shit show.I can’t even look at her.I need to go.I need—fuck, I have no idea, but I have to do something to take away this pain inside.

I push to my feet, and without looking back, I walk away, my footsteps crunching against the gravel underfoot.

“Take her back to my place and clean up,” Gage says from somewhere behind me, and I stop just through the archway, spinning back around.

“The fuck?”I snap.

“What?”Gage asks.

“I don’t want to be anywhere near her.Send her back over the tracks.That’s where she belongs,” I say, watching as Freya’s face morphs into an expression of torment.Her lip trembles and her beautiful ocean-blue eyes water.Fuck, I can’t be around her.I can’t let her bring me back in.

Hazen shakes his head.“Lucas, don’t—”

“Don’t what?”I say, raising my voice.“She killed a family member of The Brotherhood.I should be pulling her heart out of her chest for this!”Just like she’s ripped mine out, I want to add, but I don’t.

Freya pushes herself to her feet.“I didn’t mean—”

“Just fuck off, you good-for-nothing gutter rat.”The words ring through the tomb, echoing off the countless graves and right back at us, sounding nothing like me.

I catch a silent tear tracking down her cheek.Part of me wants to comfort her, to hold each other until the pain subsides, but the other part doesn’t want to be anywhere near her.

My father was right about one thing—girls are mere distractions and will use you, then dump your ass, taking you for everything you’re worth.He said to never let them in.Well, it’s too fucking late for that.She’s already within me, her fingers clawed around my heart, and now she’s pulled it clean out.

The air around me closes in and I can’t breathe.I need to escape.My fists clench, and I hate myself for how I feel.I hate that I want to reach out to bring her close.No, she betrayed me.She killed my family.Even though my mother has done some terrible things, she always put me first, and to The Brotherhood, family is everything.

Fuck.Family.I’ll have to break the news to my little sister that both our parents are dead.She’s been looked after by her nanny, but this will destroy her.Does this mean I’m like her pseudo dad now?Fuck!I can’t deal with this.I need some time to process.

Hazen is standing at the archway next to me.He opens his mouth, then closes it.

“Gather all the members and meet at my place,” I say to him, then move through the archway.“We’re getting drunk.”I push open the heavy doors, and they slam shut behind me.

Darkness surrounds me like a warm blanket.The cool air wraps around my bare chest, and I stare down at the new mark branded there: the famous hourglass with the three skulls inside it, along with the wordsDaring Brotherhood.I’m a motherfucking leader of The Brotherhood now.Holy fucking shit.

But you don’t have a mother, or a father.And the woman you thought you loved didn’t care for you enough to even blink before she pulled the trigger.

I want to drink a shitload and forget the pain, even for a moment.To bury it all so far down that I won’t ever be able to feel it.Hazen better follow my orders.

Freya better not come anywhere near me.

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