Page 8

Elizabeth

While trying to blend in, I smile when I need to and laugh at jokes that don’t quite reach me. My eyes keep scanning the room, searching for cracks in their armor and moments of vulnerability where truths might slip through.

Sin is standing with a group of men near the far end of the room, his broad shoulders taut, his expression sharp and unreadable. My gaze sweeps over the group as I inch closer, doing my best to remain unnoticed. Jonas McClane catches my attention immediately. His handshake is firm when he greets Sin, his smile polished, but his eyes? They tell a different story. There’s a heaviness there, an exhaustion that no amount of charm can hide. Millie’s father, the name McClane Mining Co., clicks into place in my mind. The jagged edges of this puzzle are starting to take form, though they still slice at my thoughts.

I drift away before I draw any suspicion, blending into the crowd as I approach Millie. She’s leaning against the bar, her face lit up in a way that’s infectious, while she laughs with one of the girls. When she spots me, her smile widens, and she waves me over.

“Elizabeth!” she calls, her voice warm and welcoming. “You look incredible tonight. That dress, girl, Sin must be losing his mind.”

I laugh lightly, brushing off the compliment. “Thanks, Millie. You’re looking stunning yourself.”

She grins, spinning slightly to show off her shimmering silver gown. “Not bad for a last-minute choice, huh?”

“Not bad at all,” I agree, taking the seat next to her, spotting Will staring obviously. “I think Will agrees with me, too,” I add.

Millie’s face brightens red as she avoids eye contact with him. She is clearly embarrassed as her eyes meet mine. “He’s looking… at me?”

Smirking, I reach out, touching her arm for comfort. “Millie, since I arrived to work with the club, the one thing that has been consistent is that Will is always looking at you, honey.” She gnaws on her bottom lip like she’s completely nervous and has no clue what to do with that information. I let the moment linger before steering the conversation in another direction. “I saw you talking to your dad earlier. He seems to really respect the club.”

Millie’s smile falters for just a second, so brief it’s almost imperceptible. “Yeah… he and the club go way back.”

Her hesitation makes my pulse quicken. There’s something here—something important. “He seems… different from the other people who come around here,” I say carefully. “Not in a bad way. Just… more polished?”

Millie’s laugh is soft, almost self-deprecating. “That’s Jonas McClane for you. Always the businessman.” She takes a sip of her drink, her gaze growing distant. “But he owes the club more than he’ll ever admit. We both do.”

I tilt my head, feigning curiosity. “Owe them? What do you mean?”

Millie hesitates, glancing around as though ensuring no one else is listening. Then she leans in slightly, her voice dropping to a lower, more serious tone. “It’s not something we talk about openly. But you already know some of the details of what the club did for me. So I don’t see any reason not to tell you the full story of how the club and my family became involved.”

I nod, my heart pounding as I encourage her to continue. “I’d love to hear it.”

She exhales slowly, her fingers toying with the edge of her champagne flute. “When I was younger, the Alliance took me as collateral. My dad was in a bind… his mining company, McClane Mining Co, was being targeted. The Alliance wanted the mine for themselves, probably to strip it clean and use the gold to fund their operations. They told my dad he had two choices. Hand over the mine completely to the Alliance or never see me again. I would be the property of the Alliance. I would be the girl they hand around to their men for whatever sick fantasy they wanted. Sex, torture, it didn’t matter. That’s what was on the cards for me.”

My stomach tightens as I listen, the weight of her words pressing down on me like a sledgehammer. “Jesus, Millie… so your dad got the club involved?”

Her eyes flick to mine, shimmering with gratitude and pain. “He did the only thing he could think of. He knew Defiance was at war with the Alliance, that they wouldn’t hesitate to take action. And they didn’t. They found me, Elizabeth. They rescued me.”

I blink, absorbing her words, but she isn’t finished.

“It wasn’t only about saving me, though. My dad couldn’t just walk away from a deal with Defiance, leaving them empty-handed. He didn’t feel right…” She pauses, taking another sip before continuing, “He offered them a deal. Once a month, three of the guys go to the mine. There’s a hidden entrance, completely off the books. They take unrecorded gold out, just enough to keep things quiet. It’s how the club funds itself and its operations. Everything. If they have no record of the gold coming in, they have this steady stream of cash, and they can do whatever they need with it. It’s been working flawlessly for years.”

My breath catches, the implications sinking in.

Illegal gold.

Off-the-record deals.

This is the kind of information that could blow everything wide open.

But Millie’s voice pulls me from my thoughts.

“I know it sounds bad,” she says quickly, her tone almost pleading. “But they saved me, Elizabeth. My dad doesn’t trust anyone easily, but he trusts them. And honestly, so do I. They’re more than just a club… they’re family. They protect their own. And with that money, they do good things… like that toy drive you had so much fun on. They couldn’t do any of that without my father’s gold money coming in.”

Her words make my chest tighten. I force myself to nod, to keep my expression neutral. “That’s… a lot to take in,” I reply, my voice soft. “I see why you feel so strongly about them.”

Millie smiles faintly, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “They’re not perfect, I know that. But they’re good men. They’ve saved me more than once, and I owe them everything. So does my dad.”

I nod again, her words echoing in my mind as I offer her a small smile. “Thanks for telling me, Millie. That can’t have been easy.”

She shrugs, her smile turning brighter, though it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “You’re part of our family now, Elizabeth. I thought you should know.”

Family.

That word feels heavy, almost suffocating.

I smile again, but inside, I’m reeling.

Millie’s story changes everything.

The club’s operations, their ties to Jonas McClane, their war with the Alliance—it’s all so much bigger than I realized.

It’s not black and white.

It never is.

Millie and I continue to chat, our conversation changing direction, and for that, I’m glad. I was sent here to find out information on the club—to dig for secrets. But now that I’m finding some information and reaching my goals, it doesn’t sit as well with me as I thought.

And the main focus I have been searching for—my brother—is still no closer to being figured out. Everyone I approach about him shuts down. A clear sign that they’re hiding something. I need to push harder, but I have time, and tonight, I need to tune out of research mode and enjoy the end of this year with the friends I have made.

If you told me coming into this that I would ever have considered the people at this club to have turned into my friends, I would have laughed in your face.

Now, there are people here I care about. One in particular I can’t seem to stop thinking about. My body is desperate to be near him.

As the night stretches on, I catch glimpses of Sin, his eyes finding me no matter where I am. It’s like he can sense me, his gaze burning into mine across the room. When he finally approaches, sliding an arm around my waist, the air shifts.

Everything else fades.

It’s just him and me.

And I hate how much I crave this—crave him.

“You okay?” he asks, his voice low, intimate, like it’s meant only for me.

I nod, swallowing hard. “Fine,” I lie. My voice betrays me, trembling with the weight of everything I can’t say.

His grip tightens, his lips brushing against my ear. “Stay close,” he murmurs, his tone possessive, protective. “I want you with me when it hits midnight.”

I don’t trust myself to speak, so I nod again, letting him guide me through the crowd. His hand is firm on my back, a silent claim that makes my heart race and my mind scream at the same time. Every step with him feels like a step closer to the edge—a point of no return.

As midnight approaches, the energy in the air shifts, crackling like static before a storm. The crowd pours outside, a river of laughter and excitement spilling into the chilly night. The sharp bite of the winter air hits my lungs, shocking away some of the haze from the warmth and chaos of the clubhouse. Conversations buzz around me, mingling with the occasional pop and whistle as fireworks launch into the sky, testing the silence before the main event.

I stand beside Sin, his presence grounding me, his arm a solid weight around my waist. My dress flutters slightly in the cold breeze, and I shiver—not entirely from the temperature. The hum of anticipation grows louder as the crowd shifts, jostling for the best view. The fireworks stand ready in neat rows, their pointed tips aimed at the heavens. Each time a spark hisses into the sky, the crowd erupts in cheers, the sound reverberating in my chest.

“One minute to go!” someone yells, and the announcement sends a ripple of excitement through the gathering. The voices grow louder, people clapping and whooping, some already beginning the countdown even though it’s far too early. Glasses clink as drinks are raised, and the music, though distant now, pumps from the clubhouse speakers, fueling the party.

Sin leans in close, his voice a low murmur against my ear. “Cold?”

I shake my head, but the truth is, I don’t feel the cold—not with him beside me. Not with the heat of his body seeping into mine, his arm pulling me closer as though he’s afraid I might drift away. “I’m okay,” I reply softly, though my heart pounds louder with every second that ticks by.

The countdown begins at sixty, voices chanting together, an exhilarating roar that swells with each number. Fireworks begin shooting into the air in quick succession, loud booms echoing like thunder as they explode into cascading streams of color. The sky is alive with bursts of crimson, sapphire, and gold, their brilliance painting the darkness with fleeting moments of light. Each explosion vibrates through my chest, matching the rhythm of my racing heart.

“Thirty seconds,” someone shouts, and the energy spikes.

People are hugging, laughing, and toasting the year that’s about to end.

I glance at Sin.

He’s not looking at the fireworks.

He’s looking at me.

His eyes are molten, reflecting the bursts of light overhead. It’s like the world around us doesn’t exist for him—like I’m the only thing he sees. The intensity of his gaze makes my breath hitch, my throat tightening as I try to steady myself. The cheering, the chanting, the fireworks—it all fades into obscurity under the weight of those eyes. Those amazingly different-colored eyes that make me completely weak inside.

“Fifteen!” The crowd’s voices swell, their enthusiasm a roaring wave.

Sin’s hand tightens on my waist, pulling me even closer. The heat of his touch burns through the layers of fabric between us. My head feels light. My pulse is erratic. The countdown is a blur, the numbers tumbling together as the world narrows to this moment.

To him.

“Ten!” The voices rise to a fever pitch, overlapping, frantic.

“Elizabeth,” Sin growls, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade. I look up at him, my chest tight, my lips parting to respond, but the words are lost as he cups my face, his thumb brushing over my cheek.

“Five!” The crowd is deafening now, the fireworks launching in rapid succession, their explosions painting the sky in bursts of fiery brilliance.

“Four!”

His eyes hold mine, unrelenting, filled with something raw, something that makes me ache in places I never knew I could.

“Three!”

His breath against my lips, warm, steady, anchors me even as my knees threaten to buckle.

“Two!”

My heart pounds, my hands trembling as they reach for him, gripping his leather cut like he’s the only thing keeping me upright.

“One!”

The world erupts in an explosion of sound and light as fireworks burst in a dazzling finale, and the crowd roars their cheers into the night. But for me, the noise fades, the colors blur, and all that remains is Sin. He doesn’t hesitate, slamming his lips forward, claiming mine in a kiss that’s passionate, deep, and utterly consuming. It’s as if the fireworks aren’t in the sky—they’re in me, lighting up every nerve, every inch of my skin.

His fingers clench tightly in my hair, more aggressive this time.

I gasp, but not out of fear, out of carnal desire as I completely melt into him, the chaos around us forgotten. When he finally pulls back, his forehead rests against me, his breath mingling with mine in the cold night air.

“Happy New Year, wildcat,” he whispers, his voice rough and raw, full of something unspoken but undeniably real.

And just like that, I’m a lost cause.

In him, in this moment, in the way his presence makes everything else disappear.

The world is celebrating, fireworks lighting the sky, cheers ringing out into the night—but all I can feel is him.

Before I can think, before I can stop myself, I lean in. Our lips meet again in a rush, deep, hungry. The world blurs, and the only thing grounding me is him—his arms, his lips, the way he holds me like I’m something precious. My fingers pull him closer, needing him like I’ve never needed anything before.

When we finally break apart, I’m breathless, my heart pounding so hard it physically hurts. His eyes search mine, dark and filled with something I don’t dare name.

“We shouldn’t…” I whisper, my voice shaky, trying so damn hard to stop this from escalating, even though every single damn part of me doesn’t want it to stop.

“Just tonight, Elizabeth,” he murmurs, his lips brushing against mine. “Let’s have tonight. We can deal with the consequences next year.”

His words soften every wall I’ve built.

I nod, unable to say no, unable to resist. “It’s already past midnight… did you miss the countdown?” I whisper, knowing I’m surrendering more than just tonight.

He grins mischievously, taking my hand and leading me away from the crowd to a storage shed. He unlocks it, leading me in, then closes the door behind us, the darkness of the room making it feel even more illicit. “Then I guess we have another year to figure this out then.” He wraps me in his arms, his forehead resting against mine, and for a moment, everything feels right.

But I know it’s an illusion.

A fragile dream that will shatter with the morning light.

Exhaling, I stare into those eyes I adore so much. “You scare me, Sin,” I admit, my voice trembling. “You make me want things I most definitely shouldn’t want.”

His jaw tightens, and he tilts my face up, his eyes locking onto mine. “You think I don’t feel the same?” he replies honestly, his voice rough with emotion. “You’re in my head, Elizabeth. You’re under my skin. And no matter how hard I try, I can’t get you the fuck out.”

Tears sting my eyes, but I blink them back.

I’m in too deep.

I don’t know how to climb out.

So, for now, for this one moment, I simply don’t.

I let him pull me closer, let his lips claim mine again, let myself believe, just for tonight, that we’re not standing on opposite sides of an impossible war.

That I’m not about to burn him and his entire club to ashes.

But deep down, I know the truth.

Tonight is a stolen moment, and when the sun rises, the lies and secrets will still be there, waiting to tear us apart. For now, though, I cling to him, to the illusion of us, and hope it’s enough to hold back the inevitable.

For just a little longer.

“In that case, Sin… I need you to fuck me. Right here, right now. Because I swear to God if I go another second with you not inside me, I’m going to explode.”

A slight chuckle escapes his mouth. “I thought you’d never ask, wildcat.”

His finger slides out, flicking on a light. I squint at the intrusiveness of the brightness as he grabs me, leading me back toward a bench. I giggle, moving with him as his strong hands grip my hips and hoist me up on top of the bench. I knock something as I land on top, and I glance beside me at piles of gold just sitting there. My eyes widen as I turn back to Sin, swallowing hard.

His hands slide up my dress, reaching for my panties, and with one swift movement, he tears them from my body. My breathing catches as he moves to yank off his mask. My hand snaps up to stop him instantly. “Leave it on,” I rasp desperately, in a move to try and ease my guilt.

If I can’t see his whole face, then maybe I’m not betraying my brother by fucking the man who killed him.

A slow grin forms across Sin’s lips like my idea is merely a turn-on for him while he chuckles, kneeling between my legs. “Role-play, huh? Never picked you as the type, Elizabeth. But just so you know, wildcat, I might be wearing this mask, but you’re still going to be moaning my name.”

My insides tremble, knowing I should be stopping this, but I have absolutely no willpower. Seeing him like this, submitting to me, is driving me absolutely insane. I reach out, my fingers threading through his hair, clenching tight, and I edge his face toward my pussy, granting him access.

He grins mischievously, the smirk of Lucifer himself as he disappears beneath my dress, his tongue instantly hitting my clit and circling in the most amazing way. Pleasure rolls through me instantly, my head falling back as I moan without thinking, knowing that this devil is one hundred percent sending me straight to hell.

“Shit, Sin, just like that,” I whimper, knowing this is only the start of a very, very intense and sinful start to the new year.