Page 57 of Duke

She better fuckin’ wait for me. The ink sky turns red. My thoughts straying back to the night I watched my girl get out of that prick’s ride.

She smelled like him.

Tasted like him.

I almost took her like an animal. I was wild in my need to mark her mine.

Fuck, I wish I had.

The college boys swarm to her like bees to a honeycomb.

My head bangs against the back of the cab.

I don’t deserve her. She’s young with the world at her feet. She wants nothing to do with the club life. Hell, she went to college to escape it. Before I swept into her life like a tornado—she was getting herself out. She had plans to move to LA.

I feel a single tear trickle down my face.

I should let her go.

I love her enough to do it. My baby bird needs to fly and tying her to me—to the club for life—would be cruel. I’d clip her wings and put her in a cage. She’d purr at my touch but spit fire after; resenting all I represent. There’s not a chance in hell my Shanna wants to be an old lady especially to the President of Creed. But that’s who I’m gonna be before the sun rises.

Christ, my balls are so full—it hurts to zip up the fly of my jeans. My hormones have been on overdrive. Fuck. I want her so bad.

But I’m older now; wiser. I can’t ever touch her… take her, and be able to walk away. It’s just as well I left when I did.

She’ll be pissed for a while. Hate me even. But I’m doing right by her, even if it breaks me more than the war did.

My cell rips me out of my thoughts, “Yeah?” I mutter.

“You made a big mistake fucking with me like this. You think you’re gonna take the club from me? I’m gonna fuckin’ kill you—but not before I make your woman my bitch. I bet she’s got the sweetest, tightest pussy, eh? I can’t wait to introduce her to my huge cock.”

“I’m gonna rip your balls out and shove ‘em down your throat. You’re done Zach. Go out with some dignity, or you’re gonna go out in the dirt.”

“Fuck off Duke. I put your old man and your old lady’s mama there already. You think that you’re gonna get the best of me?”

“You’re a dead man. Run-motherfucker, ‘cause I’m coming for you.”

“I don’t think so. I saw you coming. Saw this coming—I have my loyal brothers still. They warned me what was about to go down, so I struck first. I was gonna do this the nice way and frame you for working the cars. You would’ve done time and be out of my way. But you are goddamn stubborn. I had to get dirty. I even sent a pledge up to Springdale. Fuck, he should’ve been a photographer. The pics he got of your girl… damn they are hot. She likes to show off that body, huh?”

“Stay away from her.”

“Too late, brotha. I’m staring at her sweet tits right now. She loves undressing in front of the window.”

I roar. Enraged that my girl’s in peril and I’m hundreds of miles away. My fingers frantically scroll until they find Meat’s number.

“Yeah?”

“Where is she?”

“Asleep.”

“You sure? Check. Zach’s coming for her.”

“Fuck. I figured. I called in reinforcements from Canada. The house is surrounded. But I’ll warn the men.”

I hear the hinges on her door squeak as Meat opens her bedroom to check on her.

“She’s out.”

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