Page 28

28

Raven

M y hand quakes as I slam my fist hard against the hanging bag. Over and over, I swing, needing to feel the release that never comes. I’m so angry, angrier than I’ve ever been and there seems to be no end in sight.

Since the night we got jumped at the bar, I’ve felt this way. How dare Dom and his cronies burst into my life like this and turn everything upside down. I was finally happy or at least getting there. I liked the way things were before he stumbled in and messed everything up.

Now, my nerves are fried, I’m losing sleep, and nothing can curb my frustration—nothing. Believe me, I’ve tried. So has Jesse, but even that hasn’t helped lately. I’m not sure what will, not till this mess is cleaned up and the war between the Sons and the Bastards is over.

I whirl around and land a hard kick to the center of the bag. I need more, need a live opponent, someone to help curb this roaring energy inside me. Stitch and Reaper are tailing me today, working out their own frustrations in another part of the gym. With a huff, I step away from my bag and wander to where they’re sparring, leaning myself against the ring to watch them work.

Reaper hits harder and has a good five inches and twenty pounds of muscle on Stitch, but Stitch is fast. He dodges a fist from Reaper, countering with a hard punch to his unguarded ribs. I watch as they shuffle around the ring, exchanging hits back and forth.

When they pick up the tempo, I lean in, trying to anticipate each man’s next move, trying to learn how they fight. Every grunt and smack that sounds with a landed hit has my blood pumping. It’s a thrill, one that may finally calm my raging emotions once I take my turn fighting the winner of this round.

I watch as Stitch lands another hit on Reaper. They’re taking their time, and I’m running out of patience. “I take the winner,” I call out.

Stitch throws me a quick glance as Reaper narrows his eyes. I don’t care who I face. All I know is I need to punch someone. I need to let out this red-hot energy. Now. They start moving faster, hitting twice as hard and throwing more punches. Soon, this fight will be over, and then I’ll get my turn.

In the blink of an eye, Reaper takes a hard punch to his stomach, doubling over. Before Stitch can land another blow, the rugged enforcer spins, knocking him off balance and pummeling him to the floor. Reaper twists his arm into an unnatural position, forcing him to tap out and end the fight.

With a smirk, Reaper faces me. “Guess it’s your turn. You sure you wanna do this?”

I reply with a dangerous smile. “Absolutely.”

Stitch eyes us warily, holding his head. “She’s stronger than she looks, man.”

Reaper’s jaw tightens. “I’m aware.”

His eyes meet mine in a challenge as I slide inside the ropes. I pull up my stance, giving him a cocky smile. “Let’s dance, Big Guy.” And we do.

After a long while, I find myself surprised, excited even. My nerves are finally calming, and with every jab, something inside me loosens. Reaper is surprisingly nimble, moving faster than he did with Stitch, making me work for every hit. He lands a few as well, hard hits to my arms and legs, not taking it easy on me because of what’s between my legs. A worthy sparring partner at last.

It's exactly what I needed. The others are too timid when they enter the ring with me, holding back, afraid to hurt me, or risk pissing off Viper. But not Reaper, no, he’s giving me what I need, what the others are too afraid to dish out.

I pick up the pace, landing a few hard jabs on his mountainous body, smirking at the grunts he lets out. I move swiftly, trying to disorient him. It works, and I step behind him, sweeping his feet out from under him. When I think I’m about to win, he lashes out, grabbing my ankle and pulling me down to the mat. For a second, I’m winded, giving him an opening to roll on top of me, pinning me to the floor.

He grabs both wrists in one hand, stretching his other arm across my chest, pressing down hard. I try to wriggle free, kicking out uselessly with my legs. He has me, and he knows it. I scowl up at him as he presses me further into the mat. “You done yet, Princess?” he asks with a leer.

I shift again before admitting defeat. His hard body has me pinned, and there’s no getting out of this. He quirks a scarred brow. “I can sit here all day. Only one thing will end this,” he taunts.

I grit my teeth as I glare at him. “Fine. You win,” I grind out.

Reaper keeps me pinned for a few seconds longer, relishing my defeat. When I’m about to unleash on him, he stands, offering a hand to help me up. I take it grudgingly as Stitch lets out a low whistle. “Damn. That shit was entertaining,” he says with a laugh.

“Never thought anyone would have the balls to pin you like that, Raven, except maybe Jesse.” His amusement doesn’t die down, not even when Reaper and I send him matching glares that would send any sane man running. He’s still cackling to himself when I gulp down some water.

Reaper approaches, cracking open his own bottle. I eye him as I wipe the sweat from my face. The raging fire inside me is noticeably cooler. “Thanks,” I say tightly, grabbing his attention, “for not taking it easy on me in there.”

He eyes me for a moment, making me wonder if he’ll bother with a reply. “Who says I didn’t?” he finally says before walking away, leaving me stunned.

The lights on the first floor of the clubhouse are all on when we arrive. Music is playing somewhere inside, and a handful of bikes are parked out front. I haven’t stepped foot inside since Viper and I had our last screaming match. I’m still not sure I want to be here now, but they guys had to drop by to pick up a package from Bear.

So, here I am, standing outside the threshold as Stitch and Reaper waltz through the door. I'm about to take a seat on the steps when I hear someone call my name. Lace approaches, smiling as she says hello to Stitch and the others. “You want something to drink?” she asks.

When I don’t immediately reply, she tells me, “Nix is here with Raptor if you wanna come say hello.”

Well, shit.

With a sigh, I follow her inside, gazing around the room as we walk back to the kitchen. No sign of Viper—good, I don’t feel like having another screaming match in front of so many witnesses.

Around the living room, members of the MC sprawl out with drinks in their hands, many enjoying the entertainment provided by the club's sweetbutts. It’s not a full-blown party, but the guys probably need it after all the shit that’s been going down. I look away from the crowd when Lace hands me a beer. “How’s everything going?” she asks.

“Same shit, different day, I guess.”

Lace nods, biting her lip. “You know,” she starts, “it’s pretty brave—what you did—not many guys would have done that, let alone women.”

She’s talking about the fight outside the bar, another thing I’m not interested in hashing out tonight. I shrug it off. “I just trusted my instincts.”

She gives me a light smile. “Well, it was still badass, and I’m sure Reaper hasn’t said much, but I bet he’s grateful for what you did.”

I scoff, taking a swig of my drink. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

I’m saved from any additional conversation when Stitch appears behind her, whispering in her ear. With a smile, she excuses herself and disappears somewhere with him. Another survey of the room shows me Nix and Raptor cuddled up in a corner. At least she seems happy. With everything going on, I was worried she’d be a mess.

Looks like I was wrong.

I should thank Raptor for keeping her mind off things and watching out for her when I’m not able to. It’s not often that I let others take up that mantle, but the MC has done a good job keeping her out of harm’s way so far, especially him, and it has nothing to do with the threat I made to his manhood, either.

Even if I hadn’t done that, he’d still watch out for her, protect her with his last breath. I can see it on his face—he’s as crazy about my sister as she is about him. Against my will, the corners of my mouth curl up. She deserves that happiness. Maybe when Dom’s crew is taken care of, she’ll get her happily ever after.

Warm hands snake around my waist as a familiar voice coos in my ear. “Hey, you.” Jesse smiles against my cheek, his stubble scratching my skin.

I turn around, greeting him with a lift of my chin. “Hey, yourself.”

He shoots me a wicked grin. “The guys wanted to hang out here for a bit and unwind. You cool with that?”

I try not to cringe as I let out a sigh. From the corner of my eye, I can still see Nix’s red hair swaying as she laughs at something Raptor said. “I guess,” I tell him. Maybe this is what I need too.

His smile widens, and he pulls me closer. “Great,” I can see the desire in his eyes as he presses into me. His erection tells me exactly what he’s got in mind for winding down as he brings his lips closer, closer.

Some of the sweetbutts eye us as his dangerous lips start to work the exposed column of my neck. Urgent kisses trail up my skin, and Jesse whispers, “You wanna go have some fun, babe?”

Normally, I’d be all over it, but I’m not feeling it tonight. Any other day I’d start teasing him back, putting on a show for the girls watching us, showing them who he belongs to for the night. But tonight, I can’t. For some reason, I don’t have it in me.

I tilt my neck, stopping his progress, using my hand to push back on his chest. With a shake of my head, I tell him, “Not tonight, J.” I look over at the girls who were watching us and cock my head. “I’m sure any of them would be willing, though.”

He eyes the girls before looking back at me, a question raging in his gaze. “You sure?”

With a pat on his chest, I send him on his way. “I’m sure, J. Go have fun.”

There’s no hesitation as he walks away, exactly how it’s supposed to be. He and I aren’t together. What we have is fun and casual but not deep. If I were feeling it—feeling him—tonight, I’d be raging inside, ready to claw the eyes of any girl here who looked at him, but I feel none of that.

Even as he walks away, even as he flirts with one of the sweetbutts . . . I feel nothing. No jealousy. No possessiveness. No feeling of hurt or loss. None of it. When he and the girl disappear, I still feel nothing.

With Jesse, I want him when I want him, and when I don’t, I don’t. I guess that’s what happens when you have a heart of stone.