Page 10 of Her Feral Biker (Savage Kings MC #6)

LAKE

It blew me away how accepting Annalise was of my lifestyle. What I thought I could never have in this world since I joined the Savage Kings landed in my lap—quite literally—and sashayed away through the doors of her shop that my brothers cleared. There was no way I’d let her go in there otherwise.

We were on a mission to ensure that neither she nor any of the other businesses in Jackson Ridge would be bothered by the Albanian mafia shit after today. After all, that was what the mission had always been about. Clear the town of threats.

Prinze Kola started as a niggling thorn in our side, and became something far more poisonous. It was time to rip the Band-Aid off.

Heading away from Annalise hurt. Riding with my brothers was the singular sort of joy that sounded cheesy and probably was, but I’d take it all the same.

Crossing into the mafia don’s territory—Kola’s father, not his, he wasn’t don yet—felt like running through a physical barrier.

My shoulders prickled as we pulled up in front of a nondescript warehouse.

I doubted this was more than one of a dozen small businesses the don kept for meeting purposes and it certainly wasn’t his home.

From the little I knew about the Family, ostentatious didn’t cut it.

If our brand was chrome and leather, theirs was sports cars and gilt.

I followed the members into the door, noting who was stationed outside, patched members standing beside silent, suited men. We all carried weapons openly today. Surprisingly, no one tried to stop us.

I frowned, expecting the don’s men to remove the cache of firearms walking into this building.

The concept sat raw on me. At least, it did, until my vision flared out and settled in the dim light, the sunlight too bright outside in comparison.

When my vision cleared, I suddenly understood the don’s strategy.

His men outnumbered our membership three to one, along with hardware, and his son was nowhere in sight.

“Sit down.” He gestured to our President, who didn’t move opposite where he sat at a small table set out with a fucking steak meal and a bottle of wine.

“I’ll stand.”

My jaw set. This could be a short damn negotiation that ended much like last night’s events, but in reverse. That their blood lay on my hands didn’t slide by me.

I should have kissed her for longer outside her shop.

Fuck it, just as I found something—some one —in life worth living for, I’d probably die before I could keep my promise to go back and find her tonight.

I’d left instructions with Reyna that the house I kept in the woods, isolated and away from club property, would be left in Annalise’s name. I’d made sure of that this morning.

That I walked into this fucked up mess of my own making without my patch on my back was no mistake.

“You are welcome here, with your…family.” The don’s voice pitched slightly. He smiled, the emotionless sort of expression associated with a predator.

"We're here for one person. He doesn’t seem to be present.” The Pres folded his arms. “He’s caused grief to one of our members.” His stance went rigid. “And his wife.”

That was stretching the truth, but it was as close a comparison as could be made across our cultures, so I didn’t intervene.

I knew better than to open my mouth unless called on right now.

Trust in moments like this was where our hierarchy held its own.

We were stronger together than we were apart.

The Kings held me up when I struggled alone, brought me in during my darkest moments after my mother died and my father drank himself into a pit he never recovered from.

I lashed out plenty then, earning the scar that slashed my face.

Reyna helped stitch me up that day, and plenty of others since when I started my own downward trajectory.

But the Kings gave me a sense of pride, and showed me what family was.

For long enough, I'd wanted that for myself. Thought I’d grown too old to claim a woman and fucked around beyond what I could have.

Until I found Annalise.

Now, I wondered if she wouldn’t be better off away from the mess of my life. What I’d brought to her. But she seemed to have her own demons to fight. A fight I’d willingly join until my last breath for her.

“I have heard of this.” The don shifted in his seat at his small table, pouring himself a glass of red wine. He offered it to the Pres, who didn’t move. The don sighed. “I apologize for my son’s behavior. He is…not yet ready to lead.”

Somewhere behind him, men in his ranks murmured.

The Pres huffed, and glanced over his shoulder at me. “I have one of those of my own.”

I shook my head. “Not interested.”

“Thank fuck.” He turned back to the don. “I owe you for the men you lost last night.”

I swallowed hard. Fuck. But it was my penance. I started to step forward, but a large hand gripped my shoulder tight, forcing me back into place. I didn't need to look around to know who held me back.

Holding my ground I waited out the moments, feeling like a kid back at school, only the punishment was likely a death sentence for screwing up.

The don waved his hand. “Your problem child and my problem child had a tiff. It is fine. I have settled the debt. Your female is very nice. Her shop is not of interest. Her father…is a very strange man. He also will not bother you again. Or her, if that is her wish, so I believe. I had a little…heart to heart?” He raised his eyebrows as though checking on the colloquialism.

A man at his side nodded and looked straight at me. “Your woman won’t be bothered again. Prinze knows not to enter your town again. There is a Family matter now.” He stated with all the finality of a favorite uncle putting his foot down.

I raised my eyebrows as the Pres looked over his shoulder at me as though to say good enough?

I looked around at my brothers, all standing strong, their patches facing me.

Every one of them were willing to fight against numbers that would end in worse bloodshed than last night, and not in our favor.

But they’d do it anyway, because they were called upon, and because Prince Kola has been the perpetual irritation on our territory. This truce left us with no fight but also no men down. It was more than I could ask for.

I nodded back to the Pres, something loosening in my chest when relief eased his features.

One by one we filed out into the sunlight. I’d promised Annalise I’d see her tonight, but then I’d thought today’s work would take a whole lot longer. too.

“You did well there. I thought I’d have more words with you.” The Pres spoke softly enough that I almost didn’t hear him over the bikes starting one at a time.

I pressed my lips together, biting back the first words that came to my mind. “Thanks for not throwing me straight under the bus," I said finally.

He laughed. “You’ve come a long way since you joined the Kings, Titan. It’s good to see.” He turned away.

“I’m going to see her, take her out to the house for the night,” I said softly.

He didn’t turn back, didn’t nod, but then he didn’t tell me to stay with the rest of the club, either. Just paused, then walked away.

I waited until everyone left, then I peeled away and headed straight back to my girl.

****

Soft tendrils of smoke filtered across my vision well before I made it across town to Annalise.

The moment my vision started to obscure, I took the corners harder, needing to get to her faster.

I left rubber on the asphalt as I pulled up across the road, her name tearing from my throat as I climbed from my bike, yanking my helmet off.

My feet traveled the distance across the road and into her shop as I checked either side of her business, but I couldn’t see my girl in her leather skirt or my jacket anywhere.

“ ANNALISE, ” I roared busting through the shop door that was, for the first time since I’d visited her, fucking well locked.

In the middle of the damn day. That told its own story and exactly where I’d find her.

Fuck Prinze Kola, and fuck his father’s truce. When I found him, I’d rip him apart.

Smoke poured across the ceiling, heat emanating from every surface, though the majority seemed to come from the kitchen.

“Annalise?” I shouted again, pushing clothing racks aside. “Girl, tell me you’re in here.” I coughed up a lung, lifting my shirt to cover my face. “Annalise!”

A soft cry answered me from the rear of the store. I pushed the counter aside, hoping I’d find her cowering behind it, but she wasn’t there.

“Where the hell are you, princess?” I called, my voice muffled from the material, strained as I choked on the smoke.

Fuck, was there usually this much damn smoke?

It billowed thickly from the kitchen. Shoving my head down, one hand over my eyes, I waded through the stuff, waving a hand in front of me and hit?—

Something warm. Not on fire, but a body.

“Princess, is that you?” I rasped, choking.

“Lake.” She tumbled toward me, thumping onto my body.

I caught her trussed form, swearing as my unshielded eyes watered.

Hands grabbed at both of us and I let someone take her and haul my ass out of the building.

Not that I’d have been able to find the exit from the small kitchen, let alone the shop at that point.

My eyes didn’t work at all. I’d be breathing smoke like a fucking dragon for the next decade at this rate.

Warmth hit me at chest level, and the squishy package in my arms coughed.

“Princess?” I choked as someone shoved a water bottle into my hand. A paramedic fussed at both of us, and I let them. “Christ, tell me you’re alright.”

“I’m alright," she whispered, pressing to my chest and making the whole process that much harder for the poor paramedic intent on doing his job.

He tsked at her, but she ignored him, clawing at me.

I rubbed my fingers over my jacket that she still wore. “Gonna take a lot to get the scent of smoke outta this,” I managed when I could breathe again.

She didn’t say anything, snuggling into my chest.

Savage Kings milled around us, deep frowns etched into faces.

The Pres walked over to me, a phone in his hand as I stared at the half a shop that used to be Annalise’s business.

Fuck, everything she had was poured into that.

Kola stole more from her than he knew. Not that he’d give a shit. People like him never did.

“Talk. Make it quick and be harsh,” the Pres muttered, offering me his phone. “You choose the outcome."

I frowned, taking the phone from his as I balanced Annalise in my arms. She looked like she’d gone to sleep, though I checked she still breathed against my chest.

“Yeah?” Maybe not my most professional greeting. Fuck it, I was trying to actually breathe at this point.

“Mister Titan.” The don’s voice filled my ear.

My teeth clenched hard enough to grind. I didn’t say anything, and after a moment he filled the silence that hung between us while the Pres watched on.

“I believe my son has deprived your…wife of her place of business. I am not in the habit of apologizing twice, and he will be handled for his misdeeds. She is safe, I understand?”

My teeth creaked. “She is alive," I allowed.

“Good, then.”

I growled.

“Her bank account has been filled with triple the value of both land and building. Her father was nice enough to give me the details. No one will bother you or her again, Mister Titan.”

The line went dead.

I blinked and handed the phone back to the Pres.

He smirked. “Nice technique.”

I looked down at Annalise where she curled in my arms. “I need to get better at this if I'm looking after more than just me,” I murmured.

“Life lessons, brother."

I nodded, and rested back on the seat of my bike, letting her sleep.

I’d wake her soon and take her home, but not yet.

We’d have time to rebuild, time to figure out just what life looked like together.

But right now, she needed to rest. That was what mattered.

That she was alive and we were together.

And it was enough for this feral King.