Page 63 of Duke

“Why are you here?”

He doesn’t answer.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, “Could you at least get them to leave for a minute. I wanted… I needed—”

He brushes by me signaling with his hand. The men walk past me one by one, each dipping their heads at me in a show of respect.

But the last five, bow at my feet pledging to protect me with their lives.

“What? What in the hell is going on?” I mumble more to myself than to anyone.

His gruff voice answers, “They just made a vow to protect you with their lives.”

I turn, facing him for the first time in three months. With one eyebrow raised I mutter, “I don’t think so. I’m not part of the MC and we’re not together. So, no-thank you.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s my club now. And if I say you are under the protection of Creed for the rest of your life. It’s done.”

I try to fight back. I’m so pissed that nothing I seem to do even matters. I’ve been the Creed’s princess since the day I was born and nothing I do seems to change that. His presence is overwhelming; the smell, size and strength of him all going straight to my head. I sway on my feet causing him to reach out to steady me. I jerk back, burned by the feel of his hands.

I feel sick.

It’s clear down to the very marrow of my bones. I belong to him. He’s going to kill Spence… possibly me as well when he finds out what I’ve been doing… and with whom.

“Shanna?”

Spence walks past Duke putting his arms around me and plants a firm kiss on my lips marking his territory. My eyes open locking with Duke’s.

He’s smoldering with eyes promising punishment. I want him to do it; punish me for hurting him. I want to feel his rough hands on my skin; pain and pleasure spiraling out of control.

My nipples pucker, my thighs feel slick and heavy.

I’m demented; standing in the middle of my mother’s memorial service wet and ready for a man who will destroy me.

He wouldn’t mean to.

But loving him is something I’ll never recover from and the life he’s in would inevitably break me as much as a hammer to my bones.

My want… my need for him is irrational. I turn away from them both and sit alone in the dim room next to my mother’s urn. A canvas frame of her smiling face stares down. She was in her twenties and radiant.

She looked happy. I just know the picture was taken before club life dragged her down. I shiver, scared if it could happen to me too.

Closing my eyes, I take a quick breath, nails digging into palms as I try to stay firm in my resolve to stick with Spence and not fall back into the arms of a dragon.

“I wish you would’ve stayed. Why didn’t you ever come back, Mama? Why did you leave me?”

Tears fall down my face. I’m filled with so many questions; she’ll never answer.

I sit alone trying to make sense of everything I’ve learned in the past few months.

“Shanna? You ready darlin’?”

“I’m not your darling,” I mutter.

He sighs, takes a seat next to me and presses a key into my hand.

“It’s to your mother’s apartment. It’s safe to go there now. Maybe you’ll find some of the answers you’re lookin’ for. Oh, I think she would want you to have this. Apparently, she never took it off.”

He opens my curled fist, placing a small blackbird flying with its wings held in the delicate gold chain.

---