Relentless
A Skulls Renegade Novel
Book #4
Available Now From
Elizabeth Knox
Reign
(Skulls Renegade #1)
Promised
(The Clans #1)
Redemption
(Skulls Renegade #2)
Tough as Steele
(Steele Bros #1)
Blackjack
(Reapers MC #1)
Revenge
(Skulls Renegade #3)
Stripping a Steele
(Steele Bros. #2)
Coming Soon From
Elizabeth Knox
The Trade
(The Clans #2)
Reckoning
(Skulls Renegade #5)
Scarred
(Demons of Hell MC #1)
Here Kitty, Kitty
(Demons of Hell MC #2/Reapers MC #2)
Protecting a Steele
(Steele Bros #3)
Forbidden Love
(Mackenzies #1)
Booger
(Reapers MC #3)
Relentless
This work is a book of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are all products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblances to persons, organizations, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Relentless. Copyright © 2018 by Elizabeth Knox. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in articles or reviews. For information contact E. Knox.
https://www.facebook.com/eknoxbooks
Cover Design By CT Cover Creations
Editing & Formatting By Cordially Chris Author Services
Proofreading by Ana Quinn
Teasers by Teased by Decadent Designs
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Acknowledgements
Christine – We’ve hit it, 7 books in one year. Holy crap, how did the time fly by so fast? I will never be able to thank you enough for pushing my comfort zones into this crazy book world!
My Author Tribe, Jenna, Raven, Gg, Jen, Auden, Michelle, Erin, Dee & JP – Y’all keep me grounded. Even when I feel like I’m at my worst, struggling, or just think my work is crap you pull me back up and keep me in check. You’re my biggest cheerleaders and challenge me in the best ways. I adore every single one of you!
My Amazing ARC Team – I love y’all so much. When ARC’s are sent, I nearly stroke out about every single time, and yet time and time again, y’all come back at with me such amazing feedback. Thank you so much for loving my crazy stories!
My Beta Bitchaz, Laura, Tania, Jenna, GG, Chasidy & Ana – Thank you ladies so much for everything that you do. Without your constant opinions and insight, I would not be able to make these stories what they are. You help me make the books the best that they can be.
My Bloggers, Jenna, Jen, Shannon, Chasidy, Angie, Heather, Lizzie, Jamie, Ana, Amanda, Deanna, Angela, Rebecca, Alicia, Jamie, Christiana, Christiann, Kristin, Valerie, Ana, Cia, Leanne, Linda, Emilie, Shasta, Nichole, Erika, Starr, Gwen, Nicole, Ashley, Keanna, Myn, Heather, & Primrose – as our list keeps growing I have to pinch myself. whether you’ve been with me from day one or just joined, I am so thankful to have you all on my team. the fact that you even want to get my cover reveal and release day blitzes means the world to me. thank you for continuing to stick next to me with every crazy thing that I produce. here’s to the next one!
Clarise, My Magical Unicorn – You are undoubtedly the best in the business. With each cover, you completely surpass my expectations and blow me away. I thought you were going to kill me when I wanted to change Relentless’ initial cover after I bought Dylan’s image so close to my cover reveal, but nope, you rolled with the punches and supported me like you always do. I love you to death, you’re an amazing cover designer and an even better friend.
Ana, My Amazing Proofreader – We may have only known each other for a short time, but it feels like we’ve been lifelong friends. I appreciate everything that you do for me, going far above what any other proofreader would do. You are a force to be reckoned with, lady!
Chas, & Katie, My Fabulous Pa’s – I freaking adore you both! You two help me wrangle in my shit when I need it and without you both I wouldn’t be able to accomplish a fragment of what I do. The two of you aren’t just my PA’s, you’re my lifelong friends and I am so honored to have you in my life.
KBB, My Babes! – Here we are, yet again. I really can’t believe we’re at this point. My only hope is that you love Butch & Bellamy’s story as much as you’ve loved everyone else’s in this series. I can’t wait to hear your feedback and see what you have to say. Thank you so much for your undying love and support! #DarkAndTwistySouls
All My Amazing Bloggers – Jenna, Jen, Shannon, Chasidy, Angie, Heather, Lizzie, Jamie, Jessica. God, I know there are so many more of you. Thank you SO much for your continued support and helping me reach a few more readers. I love y’all so much!
My Cover Designer, Clarise – This must be my favorite cover to date. I was SO excited to send you the stock image for this one, and oh boy, this was the first cover that made me cry. It was exactly what I wanted.
Dedicated to Laura
I knew exactly who I was going to be dedicating this bad boy to, the second I decided to change up my release dates this year. It took me less than a nanosecond to think of the most relentless woman in my life, and this is you, my dear! You have been my hype-girl since day one, and I cannot thank the stars above enough for bringing you into my life.
When I was a nobody, you always found a way to make me feel like somebody.
Even to this day, when I am feeling at my lowest, you bring me back up and make me feel bomb. I called you my hype girl in the beginning as a cute joke, but it’s so freaking true! You are my hype-girl! You get everyone pumped for whatever is coming and I cannot thank you enough for that.
You are one relentless chick and one pretty amazing friend.
Warning
This content contains material that may be viewed as offensive to some readers, including graphic language, dangerous and sexual situations, and extreme violence.
Playlist
IDGAF | Dua Lipa
I Did Something Bad | Taylor Swift
Back to You | Bebe Rexha. Ft. Florida Georgia Line
Say it to my Face | Madison Bear
Sorry Not Sorry | Demi Lovato
Good Girl, Bad Boy | Florida Georgia Line
You are the Reason | Calum Scott
What You Love | Olivia Holt
Written in the Sand | Old Dominion
Dear Hate | Maren Morris ft. Vince Gill
Hate Me | Jillian Jacqueline
Queen of Hearts | Lauren Alania
Out Loud | Gabbie Hana
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
br /> Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Epilogue
Free Chapter - Reckoning
Coming Soon
The Trade
Scarred
Here Kitty, Kitty
Prologue
She has been through hell. So, believe me when I say, fear her when she looks into the fire and smiles. - e. corona
Bellamy
“Are you ready for this?” I look over to Zac, my boyfriend, and nod my head, even though I know I’m lying. I am not ready for this. The last thing I am is ready for this.
We’ve been sitting in Erik’s office for the last twenty minutes. His secretary has come in twice and apologized for his lateness, telling us that he had an appointment run over and then he hit a traffic jam. I couldn’t give two craps if Erik is stuck in traffic, or if he isn’t. He’s known me long enough to know that I hate these meetings with him. I understand that they are a necessity and I can’t go by without them, but fudge, I loathe them more than anything else because I have to relive everything.
I feel like I am reliving my parents’ deaths, every emotion, every tear, everything just comes rushing back in a flood of emotion.
Every single time I see Erik, I don’t see my dad’s best friend. I see his estate lawyer. Maybe that’s wrong of me, but I just can’t move past it. Losing my parents has taken over my life, in a sense…my grief has taken over.
Over the years I have come to realize that this is a usual thing. With every therapy session, I went to, I learned more and more about how to cope with my daily life. The things the therapists don’t tell you is that in the end, there is no “coping” – there is just acceptance.
Today is my 25th birthday, a milestone age of sorts. I am officially one quarter of a century old. I should be neck deep in a fishbowl margarita right now, but instead, I’m at my lawyer’s office, waiting to hear the last stipulations of my final inheritance.
In a way, I was very blessed. Scratch that – I am very blessed to have the parents that I did. They were the type that prepared for everything, even something as horrific as passing too soon. My dad was amazing with stock trading, and my Mom saved every penny for my future that she could. I was really freaking blessed. Even with them both being gone, they are still taking care of me beyond the grave.
I take the gold cross hanging around my neck. It was a necklace that my mom gave me when I was five, with a small piece of garnet in the middle. Garnet was her birthstone, and she always told me that wearing this necklace meant that she was always close to my heart. I truly believe that. In a lot of ways, this piece of jewelry is the only real tie I have left to her. So often there are times when I will hold it or bring it to my lips and just breathe. It centers me, almost as if this necklace is my mom. Wearing it gives me peace, and I need that so much these days.
Erik comes plummeting through the doorway as Zac slides his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him on the couch.
“How’s my favorite niece?” he asks, giving me that million-dollar smile. He always did have a lovely smile. My father always insisted that I called Erik my uncle. He wasn’t blood, but that didn’t matter, he was still family. I can hear my father’s voice in my head right now, “Blood does not define who we call family. Our hearts do.”
“I’m fine,” I tell him, hoping that he’ll realize I’m extremely uncomfortable and cut to the chase.
I watch him closely as he pulls out a key from his pocket and walks towards his desk, inserting the key into a drawer. I can hear the screech of the old wooden thing as he pulls it towards him. His eyes maintain their focus, on whatever it is that he’s searching for, and I see him pull up a manila envelope, setting it on his desk and pulling a few pieces of paper, plus a smaller envelope. “You know the drill, this is pretty standard stuff, and I think we’ve got it down pat by now, don’t you, Kiddo?”
I’m not one of those people who can laugh and joke through emotionally stressful situations, I just do one thing, shut down.
“Alright, then,” he mumbles, pulling out a few sheets of paper, he hands me a pen, and before he speaks, I already know I have to sign and initial wherever is noted. “You have –”
“To sign where the yellow tabs are and initial next to the blue,” I finish for him, this time giving him a small glance and trying to fake a smile, but I suck at it, and I know the only thing I’m doing is making this harder for the both of us. Sure, I’m the daughter, but Erik lost his best friend. I’m not the only one who has to deal with their loss, and I’m constantly reminding myself of that.
“As you know, this is your last inheritance. You’ve done a good job of saving and investing what you can, Bell, and I’m hoping you still continue to do that, even with the path you’re on.” The path you don’t approve of, I want to say back to him. I’m a musician, it’s not like that screams instant fame or a return on the investments I’ve made into my career. My uncle would rather I am safe with my career choice and not fight with millions of other up and coming starlets. He’s made his opinion apparent at Sunday dinner, which I go to, every week. “You’re not just getting your money today, sweetheart. I don’t like to keep things from you, but I have two letters, one from your mom, and one from your dad. They did a fantastic job of preparing for this, hoping it would never happen, but nonetheless, they had prepared for it. You need to read them, especially your mother’s.”
I nod as he hands me the letters, one in my mom’s lovely cursive handwriting, and the other in my father’s chicken scratch. I couldn’t help but wonder to myself if I’d even be able to read it, but I’d find out whenever I opened it. For a few moments, I wondered if I should wait, but I didn’t want to. There was something deep down inside that was telling me to open those letters, and I started with my mother’s, ripping apart the envelope and pulling the piece of paper from it. I unfolded the two sheets, starting at the beginning.
If you’re reading this, then things didn’t turn out the way that I ever wanted them to. Firstly, I want to apologize. I want to apologize because you’re in this situation, going through life without a mother – which is something that I’ve never wanted for you, but that isn’t the only thing that I want to apologize to you for, sweetheart. I lied to you. For years, I lied to you, in the hopes of protecting you, but it seems as if I have even failed at doing that.
I’m sure your head is wracking around the possibilities of what it is that I could have lied to you about, and I will tell you, in a moment. I know that you must have grown into the most beautiful, intelligent, young woman. I am so beyond proud of you, in whatever adventure it is that you’ve chosen to pursue.
Your father and I made your life as safe as we possibly could have, tucking you away in our small, suburban neighborhood. What you don’t know, my dear is that when I met your father, you were two weeks old. I was alone in a brand-new city. He was nice, loving and by the time you turned one we were married, and you were legally his daughter. I’m sorry that I never told you that, but I felt like I never needed to. He’s been your father since the day we met him and loved you as a father should’ve.
I kept secrets from you, sweetheart, big, awful secrets. I knew that by lying to you, I was protecting you, so I did what any mother would have – protected their baby.
I’m not from Nevada. I’ve never even been to Nevada in my entire life. I’m from a small town in central Texas. That’s where I moved from when I came to Oregon.
I lived in Texas until I was nineteen and pregnant with you. I was young and dumb, and ultimately, I ended up leaving because of your biological father. I got mixed up with the wrong crowd, with him being the ringleader. Back then, I thought I was madly in love with this powerful man, and I was, at that time. Looking back, I couldn’t have been more naïve. It most certainly was not love, I was in a
we of Jimmy and his lifestyle, of the risk, the danger, and the thrill.
I made the decision to leave Texas the day I found out that I was pregnant with you. There wasn’t really anything for me to stick around for; both of my parents were dead and at that moment…the moment I found out that you were entering my life, well, I saw things in a different light. I think that at that moment I saw Jimmy for what he truly was: an abusive, manipulative, monster of a man. I packed up a small bag, went to the bus station, and boarded the first bus that was leaving town. That is how I ended up in Oregon.
I am telling you this now because you are old enough to understand. Obviously, I’m dead. Jimmy is most likely the reason why I’m dead. I did a damn good job at hiding you as best as I could, baby, but obviously, I didn’t try hard enough.
This is a warning, Bellamy. Do not engage in any sort of communication with your biological father. He is an evil, hateful man. There was a reason that I ran from him, and I hope that you can use your own judgement and understand why I made that decision.
The thing about Jimmy is that he’s smart. He charmed me in all the right ways. I was playing with fire, and I knew that the very first second, I laid my eyes on him, but like the stupid little girl I was – I didn’t care.
I can’t imagine what you’re thinking right now, or how you must feel, but I have one more thing to tell you, sweetheart.
You have an older half-sister, her name is Elena, and while I beg you not to track down your father…I couldn’t bear the thought of you not knowing that you have a sister. There is little information that I can give you about her besides where I last saw her and what your father does. Jimmy is the President of a biker gang called the Vipers MC. He shouldn’t be hard to find, and finding Elena should come easy, if you choose to search for her.
Please, just do not go searching for Jimmy. Find your sister if you will, but do not –I beg of you – reach out to your father.
I love you, baby,
- Mom
I stare down at the two pieces of paper in my hand, shocked beyond belief. I thought I knew just what I was going to feel coming out of this meeting. The thing was, nothing could have prepared me for this.