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Chapter one

Kingpin

My entire body ached. The last thing I remembered was the screech of tires on pavement and the blur of chrome as a truck careened into the intersection, blowing through a red light.

I groaned, dragging my eyes open, squinting in the harsh white glare of a hospital room. Glancing down, I spotted an IV embedded in my arm, and a machine standing guard near my shoulder like a sentry, displaying the steady rhythm of my heartbeat with a persistent beeping.

“Looks like your ticker hasn’t given out yet, Prez.”

I turned my head to see my Road Captain, Gideon “Big G” Decker, seated in a chair next to my bed, flipping through a newspaper. He was a classy son of a bitch, with a salt-and-pepper undercut, neatly trimmed beard, tattoo sleeves, and a hint of musky, expensive cologne.

“Don’t jinx it,” I rasped, my throat dry, my tongue slow. “Waking up to your ugly mug should send me into cardiac arrest at any moment.”

Big G chuckled and folded his newspaper, draping it across his knee. In our fifties, we were the oldest members of the Blackjacks MC, earning the right to take the piss out of each other. If anyone else talked to us like this though, there would be hell to pay.

“How are you feeling?” Big G prompted, handing me a cup of water from the bedside table.

I grunted as I shifted, gulping at the tepid liquid. A fresh jolt of pain stabbed me between the ribs. My entire right leg—from hip to knee—felt like it had been stripped raw. I’d probably taken off a few layers of skin during the crash when I collided with the pavement.

“Like I’m getting too old for this shit.”

“I’m sure Spike will be pleased to hear that,” Big G said. “He’s been lusting after your bike for years. She’s a beauty. As soon as you say you’re selling her, he’ll gladly fork over the cash to take her home.”

I shot him a dirty look. He arched an eyebrow in a silent challenge, egging me on.

“I said I’m getting old,” I countered. “I’m not dead yet.”

“Good. Since you’re still a cranky bastard, you’ll be interested to know there was one hell of a cute nurse who came to check on you a minute ago. Looks like getting run over by a big-ass truck has its perks.”

I laughed hoarsely and immediately winced with regret, clutching my sore ribs.

“You fucker. Don’t make me laugh.”

Big G smirked.

“Barely awake for five minutes and you’re already cussing me out. Maybe if I keep poking the bear, your blood pressure will get high enough to bring that cute nurse back in here.”

I huffed with amusement, shaking my head.

“You’re a goddamn menace, Decker. Don’t you have something better to do than sit on your ass all day and watch me sleep?”

“Blackbeard is keeping an eye on the club in your absence,” he said. “Hot Shot took your bike to his auto shop and he’s fixing her up, so she’ll be ready and waiting when you’re back on your feet. Baby Doll and I have been taking turns staying at the hospital. We’ve got everything covered.”

“You mean to tell me that I could have woken up to Baby Doll at my bedside, but I got you instead?”

Big G snorted.

“See? All these pretty ladies flitting around, and you’re too doped up on painkillers to notice.”

Someone cleared their throat. My gaze flicked to the doorway. And my heart lurched.

“Hattie.”

My ex-wife lingered on the threshold, adjusting the strap of her purse on her shoulder, looking like she regretted this decision already. I hadn’t seen her since our divorce thirteen years ago, and she’d made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with me ever again.

“Hi, Neil,” she said softly. Then she nodded in Big G’s direction. “Hey, Big G.”

A beat of shocked silence settled over the room. Hattie and I had been so turbulent, flaring tempers and butting heads. She never missed an opportunity to let me know how much she didn’t approve of my club or the lifestyle I’d chosen. That fight in our blood proved to be a double-edged sword—passionate, fiery, and thrilling, but troublesome and damaging, too.