“You’re a bastard. You could have stopped that if you wanted to,” Broni said, not trying to keep the fury out of her voice.
“Why would I want to stop you from shaking your ass? I enjoyed it.” His answer was the last straw as far as Broni was concerned.
“You jackass, you’re going to regret putting me through that. When my father finds out, you’ll be kissing my ass, begging for forgiveness.”
Rhys burst out laughing. From the looks of surprise everyone in the room gave their table, Broni guessed it wasn’t a familiar occurrence.
However, he suddenly turned serious. “You should be grateful all you had to do was shake those tits and ass. I bet Nikki would have changed places with you in a second.”
Broni looked around the room, not seeing the woman. “She’s still with him?”
“Tank likes to take his time. He has her for the rest of the night, and she’ll be useless for the next couple of days.” Rhys’s jaw clenched.
“If he’s so rough to the women, why do you and the other men let him do it?” Broni didn’t try to hide the contempt from her voice.
Rhys moved with lightning speed, taking her face in a hard grip. “Nikki decided she wanted to be here, no one kidnapped her. She wanted the thrill, and that’s exactly what she’s getting tonight. If she wanted to leave, Adam would let her go.”
“If Adam would let her go, why not me?” Broni asked, confused.
“Because Adam owns Nikki, so it’s his choice what to do with her. She’s not club property, you are. It’s not his decision to make. Whoever buys you Saturday will own you, and it will be his choice what to do with you,” Rhys explained, releasing his grip.
Broni licked her dry lips. “You could buy me and let me go.”
“I don’t buy,” Rhys said.
“You could to help me out.” Broni’s eyes pleaded with the man he once had been.
“Bitch, you need to get back to work,” Layla said, coming up behind her.
When Rhys didn’t say anything, Broni got up and went behind the bar. She numbly filled the bikers’ glasses for the rest of the night without looking at Rhys’s table.
Broni was about to drop from fatigue when she felt her arm being taken. She was about to jerk away when Rhys’s voice stopped her.
“It’s time for bed unless you want to stay longer.”
She shook his arm off, following him down the hallway while aware of Layla’s angry glare. Broni couldn’t resist the gloating look she threw back at her. She was perfectly aware the woman would make her pay for it tomorrow, but for the first time in two days, when she went to sleep, she had a satisfied smile on her lips.
Chapter 3
Broni was ready the next morning when Dee knocked. When she opened the door, the woman looked as tired as Broni felt.
Broni resentfully eyed Rhys lying sleeping on the bed as she quietly shut the bedroom door.
The clubroom was a mess. Broni went to do the dishes without being told. This morning it was Dee, Layla and Becca—the woman that Rucker had taken on the pool table. She was friendly, apologizing every time she brought more dishes that needed to be washed. Layla, however, would slam the glasses down next to her, several cracking with the force of her anger. By the time she did it for the third time and Broni had to wash the dishes with a cut finger, she was barely able to keep hold of her temper. Broni was finishing up with a glass when Layla once again flounced behind the counter with a stack of heavy glasses. She dropped them into the water, splashing water in Broni’s face.
“Watch it!” she snapped at Layla.
The woman turned back, furious that Broni had dared to raise her voice, smacking her across her cheek.
“That did it.” Broni took her hands out of the water. Before Layla could react, she smacked her back.
As Layla’s hands with her sharp nails came to her face, Broni’s hands were wet and slippery, and she barely managed to catch her hands in hers, forcing them away from her face.
“I’m going to make it so they’ll have to put a bag over your face to fuck you,” Layla screamed.
Using all her strength, Broni pushed the obnoxious woman back, taking the opportunity to dry her hands on the sides of her t-shirt, ignoring Layla’s threat. Many people made that mistake when fighting, losing control on what was being said or done around them, not focusing on the fight before them. For that reason, Broni didn’t take her attention off Layla as the bikers sleepily filed into the room to see what the loud screaming was about.
There wasn’t much space behind the bar to maneuver, so when Layla came at her again, Broni backed away, seemingly retreating from the woman who had the beginnings of a smile on her lips. She thought Broni was overwhelmed with fear, attempting to run.
“I’m going to make you sorry you ever came inside this club,” Layla taunted.
Broni kept backing away from the stupid woman who had turned it around in her mind, thinking Broni actually wanted to be in the club.
“Layla, you’re the only whore that wants to be here.” Broni kept backing up, turning the corner of the bar and maneuvering herself to a spot between the tables where she had more space to move. Bracing herself, she tried to make the other woman lose her control. “Don’t blame me that Rhys is tired of your cunt, maybe if you had done a better job, he wouldn’t have kept me awake all night, fucking me,” Broni taunted.
Layla’s scream of fury left her lips at the same time she attacked Broni.
Broni showed no mercy for the woman. Used to fighting experienced warriors, Broni knew exactly what she was going to do to Layla so she never challenged her again.
Broni didn’t fight like a girl; Layla had lost the fight before it had even begun. Broni drove her fist into the woman’s stomach, knocking the air out of her. When she doubled over, Broni then grabbed her by her hair and drove a knee into the stunned woman’s face. Blood spewed from her nose as she stumbled back, but Broni wasn’t done with her. Intent on driving her point home, Broni’s foot went out, tripping the woman, who landed heavily on the dirty floor. Before she could react, Broni reached out, grabbing the woman by the neck and squeezing her throat tightly.
“Do. Not. Ever. Fuck with me again. Do you understand me?”
The blood covered woman could barely nod her head, but Broni was satisfied with the imperceptible movement.
Broni released Layla, getting to her feet in one smooth move. Now that the fight was over, Broni’s attention flew to the men standing in the room, staring at her with various expressions on their faces.
“I told you she was a cop,” Skid said loudly to Tank.
Adam didn’t say anything, yet the cold look on his face told her he had realized she was more than a woman lost on the wrong side of town. Rhys’s face was furious, though. Broni guessed he wasn’t happy about the lie she had thrown at Layla during their brief fight.
“Mason, bring her out back with Rhys and Jace.” Adam turned to a door that Dee had warned her not to open.
A dark haired biker grabbed her arm, taking her through the door Adam had left open and into a large room with a long table. Adam had taken a seat at the head. Mason pushed Broni down onto a chair while Rhys, Rucker, and Jace both took a seat opposite of her.
“You fuck her?” Adam’s hard gaze was on Rhys.
“No. I haven’t touched her, haven’t wanted to.”
Broni flinched at his truthful words.
“Why did you tell Layla you had?” Adam’s gaze moved to her.
“To piss her off,” Broni admitted, stunned he was more concerned about Rhys’s loyalty than the possibility she could be a cop. That in itself told Broni he didn’t fear the consequences of the law.
“I see. The men are going to believe it, which makes it difficult to keep them in hand. They aren’t going to care that you lied.”
Broni shrugged, trying to act unconcerned. She knew she’d made a mistake with that particular taunt, but it had been worth it to see the look on Layla’s face.
S
adly, Adam recognized her unconcern. “You ready to get raped by ten men who were waiting to bid on you? They now think they have just as much right to fuck you as Rhys did, and as good as those fighting skills are I saw, I don’t think you’re capable of holding off ten men at once. Or are you?”
Broni paled. “No.”
“I didn’t think so.” Adam stared at her. Broni figured he was trying to make up his mind about what to do with her. She knew from the look of decision on his face when he’d decided he was going to give her to the bikers.
“I would think twice about what you’re about to do,” she said.
“Are you warning me?” Adam’s jaw clenched.
Broni knew it was time to tell him the truth. It was her only chance. The worst that could happen was his going through with giving her to his men, and that was unacceptable to Broni.
“I wasn’t in that alley by accident,” she began.
“No shit,” Adam interrupted.
Broni ignored his sarcasm. “This is going to come as a surprise, but I feel it only fair to give you fair warning. Truthfully, however, I don’t believe you or your men deserve one.”
She had their full attention. Broni could tell they had believed that she would beg for them to change their minds. They were prepared to listen to her pleas then throw her to the men on the other side of the door. Callous bastards. No, they didn’t deserve the warning she was about to give. The only reason she did was because, for her own safety, she needed their cooperation.
“I was lost because my mother is a powerful woman. Her enemies had attacked me and my sisters. If they find me here, not one of you will be left alive.”
A wry smile came to Adam’s mouth. He thought she was bullshitting him. Broni stared him straight in the eyes.
“Where are your sisters?” Adam asked.
“I don’t know.” Broni’s worried face had Adam straightening, leaning forward in his chair.
“Who’s your mother?”
“It doesn’t matter. The only thing you need to know is you need to let me go before it’s too late. You and your club are going to be drawn into a situation that you won’t be able to handle.”
Adam’s smile was one of misplaced confidence. “I’m sure we can handle anything that comes knocking at our door.”
Broni looked at him with pity in her eyes. “Don’t for a second believe that you can handle this. Your men are nothing compared to the ones that want me and my sisters eliminated.”
“All I hear are empty warnings. I’m not afraid. Who is your mother?” Adam repeated his question.
“I am Moirai. My mother is Fate, a Goddess of great power. My sisters and I are also very powerful. My sister, Zerina, is the eldest. She delivers souls to each child upon their birth. My youngest sister is Cara. She has the privilege of escorting souls to their destination when they pass from this life to the next.”
“I’m Broni. I protect humans until it is their time to depart.”
“Jesus, you’re fucking crazy.” His look of stunned disbelief didn’t stop her words. His reaction came as no surprise.
“I know you don’t believe me,” Broni paused, looking across the table at Rhys, “but how would I know you wandered from city to city until Adam found you? You’ve been stabbed twice and shot once over fighting to keep a pair of shoes that weren’t worth the surgery it took to keep them. You stay with the Dark Highwaymen because they lead dangerous lives and keep you in liquor. You barely eat enough to keep yourself alive. You also are near enough to visit your family’s graves yet remain separate from the city that was once your home.”
He didn’t believe her, but he would. Rhys was about to find out the truth the hard way.
Chapter 4
The laughter around the table had Broni tapping her fingertips on the table in frustration. Humans never believed anything unless it was in front of their face—the belief in the Gods had died out centuries ago—so she gathered her patience. Taking a deep breath, she used her knowledge of them to gain their belief.
“You’re a hard man, Adam, but you have one attribute that makes you stand out above other humans, your loyalty. The men in your unit knew you had their backs during the first fights. You were an excellent soldier. I watched many of your fights. You almost died many times, but I was always there, protecting you. It wasn’t your time.
“One battle in particular was very bloody. You were engaged by enemy fire when the whole camp was bombed. Many soldiers died that night, but your team survived because you had moved them miles away to the next camp. Why did you do that? The camp you were stationed at was supposed to be the safer of the two, yet you moved them. Why?” Broni was surprised when he actually answered her question.
“I had a gut feeling something was going to happen. I just couldn’t get it out of my mind. It wouldn’t stop until I told my men to gather their gear.” Adam’s voice was hard as memories of that night were brought back to life.
Broni nodded. “That was me. Remember that knife fight in Tucson? When those bikers jumped you?” Broni continued, despite his silence, “You couldn’t believe you survived. That was me. They were determined to steal your money. They waited for you that night in the dark, watched as you got drunk, and left with that prostitute at your side. You were about to get in your truck when they struck, yet you were ready with your own knife, killing both of them before they could lay a hand on you. Why did you have your knife hidden in your pocket at the ready?”
“I felt like someone was telling me about danger. I thought it was just nerves being back in the states, but I still pulled my knife out of my boot just in case.”
Broni nodded.
“How do you know so much about me?”
“I told you that you wouldn’t believe me.” Sadness was in her eyes as she turned her attention to Rhys. He had come a long way from the spoiled, rich man wearing thousand-dollar suits. “How should I convince you, Rhys? I can tell you anything about your life you want to know, yet you would still doubt me. It is in your nature to look for deceit.”
Rhys stiffened. “Not always.”
Broni really did not want to speak her next words, knowing the pain she was about to cause Rhys regardless of his treatment of her—he would’ve callously let her be raped by the bikers without lifting a hand to help to prevent it.
“Even before your family’s deaths, that was why you became a lawyer.” Sighing, Broni’s weariness etched her profile. Her voice broke on her next sentence. “When your family died, it cemented a century’s worth of the ugliness of the humans you tried to protect.”
Disgust was written all over his face. His chair fell back as he got to his feet. Broni bit her lip. He wasn’t going to listen any longer.
“Sit down,” Adam ordered Rhys. “Is she telling the truth? Are you a lawyer?”
“Not since my family was killed,” Rhys clarified as he picked his chair up, reluctantly resuming his seat.
Broni turned to Jace who was staring stoically at her, not letting his expression give anything away. The club enforcer would be the hardest to convince.
“Do you regret taking the life of your brother?”
Jace’s chair scraped against the floor as he stood to his feet. “I’m not sitting here listening to any more of this bullshit. She’s obviously with the cops who gave her all this information on us.”
“If the police knew you had deliberately killed your brother, why wouldn’t they have arrested you?” Broni reasoned.
“No evidence.” He neither confirmed nor denied killing his brother.
“The gun that is buried in your mother’s grave would be proof enough, don’t you think?” Broni mocked his words.
When Jace sat back down in his chair, Mason stiffened in his chair as Broni turned to look at him.
“Mason, remember when you were seventeen? You broke into that home, searching for something to steal to purchase the drugs you were becoming addicted to? You thought the house was empty, but it wasn’t, was it? The fathe
r of the small family heard you; he found you ransacking his home. He nearly beat you to death, but you managed to escape. When a trophy fell from a cabinet, you used it to knock him out. You believed you had killed him, so you left town on your bike, afraid of being tried for murder. That’s when you met Adam and became a part of his club. It was a year later that you found out he hadn’t died. By then, you no longer cared.
“At least once, I have helped all of you to survive. Now, I expect my due—for you to protect me.”
Silence filled the room.
“I have to give you credit. That’s one hell of a spiel to save your ass,” Adam broke the silence, her final words left behind.
She had failed. They couldn’t believe her. To do so would mean they were as crazy as they believed her to be.
“Get back to work cleaning. Mason, Jace, make sure the men leave her alone. Rhys, see if you can do a better job at keeping her under control until tomorrow night.”
Broni turned to the doorway. At least her impending rape had been put off for another day, but she couldn’t leave without giving a final warning.
“Adam, you need to prepare for the coming battle. They will come for me.”
“Like I said, we can handle it.”
Broni went through the doorway. If they didn’t heed her warning, they were already doomed before the battle had even begun.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Adam turned to Jace. “Call our informant at the station. Ask if there are any mental patients missing.”
“How did she know about us? That was fucking creepy,” Jace said, reaching for his cell phone.
“I don’t know. Maybe she’s psychic? How the fuck should I know?”
Rhys stood up, going to the door.
“Rhys… why didn’t you ever try to get yourself out of trouble when you were arrested?”
“I was a lousy lawyer.”
* * *
Fate stared at the twinkling sky. The beauty of it was not what held her attention, instead she watched her daughter. Her fingers tightened on the balustrade when she felt a movement behind her.