Page 17 of Desert Rose

“None.”

“Are you gonna talk to that crazy ass man of yours? Put in a good word not to kill me?”

“I will. But I can’t promise you he won’t if who I think could be your match holds true,” she answers.

I shrug. “It’s what he and I do. Go to war. Only you, our desert queen can command us to stop.”

“You’re wrong. I’m no queen. I’m just the little, brown mouse, remember?”

“Ah, Amber? You were always a queen. I just loved watching your eyes spit fire every time I called you that. Didn’t you learn in school, boys only tease the girls they like?” My heart beats hard. Damn I want her. Just like I want everything Tarak has.

“No one ever liked me.”

“Bullshit, mouse. Bullshit. Go. Go wait for your man before I change my mind and lock you back up into my bedroom.”

She swallows hard, walking backwards. “I’ll text about Elle.”

“You do that,” I growl with clenched fists, still debating if I’ll chain her to my bed. She runs out and I follow, stopping at the front window. Minutes later, headlights zip through the dark. My jaw works as I watch the two of them embrace. Tarak always wins. Always rides off with the girl, leaving me alone with nothing but the bitter taste of defeat on my tongue.

Mandy was a dream. The slip of a girl whose virginity I took one night long ago still haunts me. Tate told me she was a distant cousin of Tarak’s who was just visiting over a school break. Not local and far gone.

Amber was everything.I found her first. Wanted her first. But Tarak, again took what should have been mine. Cloaked in shadows I watch until the taillights of his ride disappear. I breathe in deep. As soon as my daughter is safe. I’ll take my revenge. I’m going to end this shit once and for all. It’s either the Bastards or the Scorpions. Both can’t survive. Not anymore. It’s been brewing for decades. Sure, we’ve had battles. Some won. Others lost. But now it’s time to go the fuck to war.

My hands cup around the cigarette dangling from my lips as I I take a match to the tip. “You good?”

“Damn, Rage. I didn’t even hear you.”

“That’s because as usual, your eyes were on the girl. It’s always a woman bringing you down, Edge.”

“No shit.” I exhale a cloud of smoke, watching it drift off into the night. “I guess I’m still a boy with no mama to love him. Scars of the past and all that shit.”

“Chasing hearts will be the end of you.”

“I’m not chasing them anymore. I’m going to capture one.”

“Whose?”

“His sisters. Then I’m gonna break it the fuck to pieces and burn his world to the ground.”

“Shit. And here I am trying to talk some sense into you.”

“It’ll be easy. She wants me. Her eyes have been on me for years while I’ve been pretending not to notice.”

“Why didn’t you make that play before now then?”

I throw the cigarette down, crushing it with the tip of my steel-toed boot. “She’s a viper, that one. Her kiss is full of poison. She’s wild. Reckless. A real pain in the ass. She practically dry-humped mouse.”

Rage raises a brow. “Sounds like your perfect match.”

I smirk. “She’ll be the distraction I need. But hardly my soulmate. I’ve sworn them off. You’ve seen howe many times I’ve been burned. I’m going to take Tarak down once and for all.”

“Don’t be stupid, Edge. The men are sick of your fucked-up love life getting in Club business.”

“Not this time. This time we’re storming his castle and taking all his queens. Fuck the Royal Bastards. They’ve gotten too big. Taken too much. We have a powerful crew, too. Maybe it’s time the Bastards lived under our rule.”

“You better have a solid plan, bro. Once that will pass a vote at the table.”

“I’m not worried. Tarak’s gone soft. I haven’t. He’s too used to winning. If I’m a fool for love, he’s a worse one. Rage shakes his head, “Don’t fuck this up, Edge. If you do… the MC might not forgive you this time.”

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