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Rachel

I didn’t know where I was headed. All I knew was that I had to get away from Dante before we ended up in yet another argument.

I didn’t want to live this way for the rest of my life. Sure, arguing with Dante was fun, and it was even more fun making up. But this couldn’t be it. Not forever. What sort of relationship was it if we couldn’t have one conversation without it turning into a massive argument?

I really was trying to keep a cool head, but it was proving more and more difficult the longer I was around him.

And maybe that’s what the problem was. Dante and I were too similar.

We were both hot-headed and had a temper that could make the devil himself cringe.

The only way it would work is if one of us changed.

But why should someone have to change their entire being?

When does it become obvious that two people just aren’t meant to be together?

Part of me believed it was the trauma talking. I had never had a relationship that wasn’t evil to its core, so I had a hard time believing that this one would be any different. Maybe I was subconsciously sabotaging it.

It was in the back of my mind that Katherine had said the club was on lockdown once again, and so I headed to the park with the intention of circling back once I had taken a moment to cool down, when I heard footsteps rushing to catch up with me.

Round two, ding, ding, ding.

“Rachel,” Dante said, slowing down his jog the closer he got to me.

“Where’s Bee?” I asked, hating myself for having left her yet again.

“I told my mother to make sure she eats and gets to church. Which is where you should—”

“I heard, Dante,” I said, not turning around. I crossed my arms over my chest and rubbed my arms. “The club is on lockdown. I’m making my way back in a minute.”

“Aren’t you going to ask why?”

“I know why. It’s pretty obvious. Macbeth is with the Riders. Which means they must be going ahead with their plan, with or without Callum. I’m assuming he’s still in the garage?”

“Yep.”

“So, they’ll be coming for him, then.”

“And you. Which is why we need to get you—”

“I told you this would happen, didn’t I?” I snapped, finally turning around to face him. “I fucking warned you that I had a bad feeling.”

“Congratulations, Rachel,” he muttered dryly. “You’re psychic.”

“Don’t come with sarcasm! I told you I didn’t want to be around for this. I told you I didn’t want Bee around whilst a war was taking place. If you had just listened, maybe we could have left and—”

“And what? Abandoned my brothers? They’ve already had one of us abandon them this week. I’d rather not be the second.”

“Oh, my God!” I all but roared my frustration.

“This ridiculous loyalty is going to get people killed. You realise that don’t you?

Callum, Macbeth, and I guarantee someone from this club is going to end up dead when all is said and done.

And for what? Bragging rights? To say you’re the strongest dicks on motorbikes? It’s pathetic!”

“You don’t even realise what you’ve got! This so-called pathetic club is doing all of this to keep you safe!”

I scoffed loudly and rolled my eyes. “No. Keeping me safe comes second to proving yourselves against the Riders!”

“Proving ourselves to keep you safe! The outcome is the fucking same! You can’t even appreciate what this ‘pathetic’ club is willing to do for you!”

“And you won’t be around long enough to appreciate anything if you keep willingly walking into fucking wars over things that don’t matter!”

“We’re not walking into a war! War was coming whether we wanted it or not. We can either hide, or we can meet it head on, armed and prepared! ”

“Dante,” I said, stepping closer to him, softening my voice.

“I… For fuck’s sake,” I hissed, running my hands down my face in frustration.

I genuinely did not want another screaming match, so I had to be the one to get my temper under control and try a different tactic.

“I’m not trying to argue with you. Please listen to me.

I love how loyal you are. I love that you put everyone before yourself.

Please understand that when I say I don’t want this, I’m not saying I don’t want you.

I do. I want you. I told you this yesterday when you returned, and I meant it. I want us and Bee to be safe!”

“We’re offering you safety,” he said, his own voice softening.

His hand came up, grabbing a lock of my hair and twirling it around his fingers.

“I know this is a lot. I know it’s overwhelming.

I get it. You’ve had to deal with a lot since arriving here.

I understand your thought process, I really do.

But you need to trust me when I say that you are safe, and we will continue to keep you safe. This isn’t forever.”

“It certainly feels that way.”

“Better days are coming. Days where it will be endless trips with Bee. Days where we do nothing but lie in bed together and think about nothing other than our pleasure. Where we order takeout and be couch potatoes. But that’s in the future.

In order to secure that future, we need to do this.

We can’t let the Riders go unchallenged.

You might not understand it, but it’s the way things are.

If we don’t rise to them, they’ll destroy everything.

You think avoiding the war is the answer, but you couldn’t be more wrong.

I wish things were different, but if we back down, we’re seen as weak.

If we back down, there will be no future with us, because there will be no me.

They’ll kill me instantly at the first opportunity, because they know there will be no retribution. ”

“They’re going to try to kill you, anyway. Why else would they be coming here? We’re not going to come out of this war unscathed.”

“I know,” he said quietly, resting his forehead against mine. “Believe me. I fucking know.”

“How can you be so sure that Macbeth was working alone? How can you be so sure that someone else isn’t going to betray you?”

“You haven’t been here long enough to understand how deep loyalty goes. I know it’s hard to tell you one thing when all you’ve witnessed is another, but loyalty runs through our veins. Macbeth was a one off. It's rare for anyone to betray their club—”

“And yet Vienna’s entire job here is to speak to rats,” I pointed out, pulling away from him. “You’re too blind by your own loyalty to see the contradiction.”

He shook his head at me. “This club has been running for decades, and Macbeth is the only one who has ever turned his back on his brothers. It doesn’t happen, Rachel. Yes, other clubs have rats, but they’re usually planted by us, or low-ranking members that have no impact, anyway.”

“So how can you be sure there’s no one been planted here?”

“Because they know the consequences. Can we go back to the clubhouse, please? It’s not safe here.”

“It should be safe for me to walk down the street from my own fucking house!”

“Rachel,” he said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re being impossible. Yes, it should be safe to walk. I wish it fucking was, but it isn’t! That’s the way it is, so get fucking used to it!”

“Fine!” I snapped, barging past him. “But just so you know, I’m seriously doubting there was any fucking point in you freeing yourself from Callum’s death trap if you were just going to throw yourself straight back into danger.”

“I’m seriously doubting there’s any point in even trying with you, if you’re just going to find whatever excuse you can to leave,” he shouted after me, making me stop dead in my tracks.

“Is that what you think I’m doing?” I whispered, turning back around to look at him.

“Isn’t it? I know what’s coming next, Rachel. You’re going to tell me you want to leave me once again. You’re using this as an excuse, just like all the other fucking excuses.”

“Did you not hear me when I said I wanted to be with you? Or are you just choosing to forget that vital piece of information in order to suit your little narrative of me?”

“I—” his words were cut short as the most piercing alarm sounded out throughout the entire village, making me bring my hands up to my ears to drown out the painful noise.

“What the fuck is that?” I yelled at Dante, who was looking back at the clubhouse.

“We’re under attack. ”

I followed his gaze, noticing the smoke rising in the distance. He grabbed hold of my hand, and the both of us ran into the chaos without a second thought.