Page 21

CHAPTER NINETEEN

TARGET

With my body and mind needing to get to my woman to find out if what my gut is feeling is true, the street whizzes past me.

My head is swirling with a million reasons as to why Madalyn would get mixed up with those biker fuckers. I need to calm myself before I lay my bike down and gather information before I make my next plans.

As I ride, my mind races faster than my bike. The roar of the engine can’t drown out how the cunt looked when he brought his dark eyes to me as he said, ‘ his girl .’

Finally, I reach the familiar street, my pulse pounding in my ears. As Madalyn’s house comes into view, I force myself to slow down gradually, parking the bike in her drive.

I need to approach this calmly, rationally, so I don’t scare her, as I have been known to fly off the handle when the people I care about could be in danger. Every fiber of my being screams at me to rush in and protect her.

Taking a deep breath, I walk toward the house, pulling in a fortifying breath with each step to calm myself.

I clench and unclench my fists at my sides, the idea of him touching her making my hands tremble with rage. I pause at the doorstep, gathering my thoughts, trying to steady my breath.

Raising my hand, I give the door two hard knocks and I hear her gasps from the other side but she does not answer.

“Mads, baby, it’s me. Open the door, I can hear you breathing really heavy, baby.” The need to bust the door down is in full force, but I do not want to scare her.

The door flies open and she is in my arms in a split second. Her sobs break my fucking heart. My arms tighten around her, binding her to me while she has a mini breakdown.

Her body shakes, as she cries.

Leaning back, I tuck my finger under her chin and bring her gaze to meet mine.

“We need to talk.”

With a jerky nod, she steps back, and I close the door behind me, then kick off my boots because there is no way I am leaving her tonight.

“Where is Aria?” My question catches her off guard, causing her to flinch a little.

What the hell has happed to make her feel like this?

“At a friend’s house for her mother’s birthday.” Her voice is meek and I fucking hate it. “Why are you here?”

“Come sit, there is something I want to talk to you about.”

“What is this about, Kohen?” I lead her to the couch, having her sit next to me so I can touch her, and be close enough to see the look in her eyes.

I need to see truth right now, because so many things are speeding around my head.

“What has you so jumpy tonight?”

She shrugs. “Just having an off night.”

“Bullshit, baby. Want to try that again?” Her gaze snaps to mine and her eyes flare with anger and I smirk, needing the fierce Madalyn to come forward, not this muted version.

“Not bullshit. You do not know me well enough to say what I am or am not feeling. I may be on my period and not feeling myself; you know some women go crazy with PMS when they are bleeding like a stuffed pig each month. Do you know what women go through? No, I guess that you don’t because you are a freaking man. ”

“Bullshit.” I scoff. “Are you on your period?”

“Well no, but you do not know that. You do not know my cycle,” she snaps, making my grin widen.

“No period, good to know.” I wink, making her jump off the couch.

“You jackass. That is all you men care about. Sex, and if it is not given you take it, like you own the woman you are with. Well, I’ve got bad news for you, Kohen -Target- Riggins, you will not get sex out of me.” She huffs.

Most days I would rile her up but her words are like a dagger to my gut, making my blood boil and my fists clench on my thighs.

“What do you mean, they take it from the women they own?” I keep my voice even but my blood boils beneath the surface.

Her face goes pale, and she nibbles at her bottom lip, as she paces back and forth.

“Nothing. Forget I said anything.”

“Not happening, baby. Talk to me.”

“I can’t, Kohen. I do not want to relive it.” Tears fill her eyes and I move closer, pulling her into my body, holding her tight.

I pull her tighter, feeling her trembling against me. "No one will hurt you, Mads," I whisper softly into her ear.

She shivers, her tears dampening my shirt. "I want to tell you, Kohen, but it's hard."

"I understand," I murmur, stroking her hair gently. "Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."

She breathes deeply, her fingers gripping my shirt. "Promise?"

"I promise," I assure her, my voice steady, hiding how I am feeling beneath the surface. "I'm here, and I care about you, but after a meeting I just had, I need to know some things, babe.”

She nods against my chest, her arms like a tight rope around my waist.

“What meeting?” she finally ask, pulling back and looking up at me.

“Come sit, because I get the feeling that neither of us is going to be happy with what is discussed next.” Fear and uncertainty flash in her eyes as we sit.

“The club has been looking into a street crew that has been doing illegal shit, mainly street racing, putting the public at risk. Then the drugs started being move around and people were fucking dying from bad shit.” She gasps, fresh tears filling her eyes.

She has a fucking heart of gold and she is going to kill me with her kindness for complete strangers.

“We recently found out that the street racing gang is linked to an MC and they are here in Phoenix. The VP of the club is here because he wants to reclaim his girl.” Her eyes widen, and I give her a knowing look, hoping she will come clean but she stays silent. I sigh.

Images of what that cunt might have done to her circulate around my head, making me want to leave and hunt him down, to make sure that I am the last person he sees when he takes his last breath.

“Baby, I am hanging on by a thread here. Please tell me that it was Darian who was linked to Crypt and not you.”

She shakes her head and I got my fucking answer. My girl is the one who Crypt has come looking for.

“He found me,” she whispers so fucking quietly that I hardly hear her.

“Talk to me, baby,” I plead.

“I met him at the start of college. He was handsome, and so attentive with me, loved surprising me, buying me things. Everything a girl wants, right? To be bought gifts, showered in love, especially when you have shitty parents. Then it all changed,” she scoffs.

“Why did it change?”

“His older brother was a part of the club and they wanted Justin to prospect. So he did. I didn’t see him for two weeks, he just ghosted me and by the time he came back, he had already changed.

He was angry at me all the time and told me that I needed to refer to him as Crypt from then on.

The prospect cut changed him. I told him that I didn’t like who he was becoming and he slapped me.

That was the first time. Darian tried stepping in but I made excuses for him, which was stupid, I know what now.

“The hits were never enough to truly mark me, but his words were worse at the time. Things escalated when the club got into trouble and went into lockdown, but I refused to go. I was in college and I could not miss classes. Let’s just say that Crypt did not take that well.

He beat me and dragged me to the club. That was the first time he forced himself on me. ”

I bolt my fists tight at my sides, needing to slam them into something or someone. Mads lets out a surprised squeak, making me look back to her.

“Not going to hurt you, baby, but I want to kill that motherfucker.” She looks at me with a look that guts me.

“It is not the physical pain that scares me with you, Kohen.” Her voice is soft, and it wavers.

“Never would I do anything to hurt you, physically or mentally, Madalyn. You have to know that. Fuck.” I run my fingers through my hair, gripping the ends in anger, and frustration.

Fuck, I am feeling so many emotions right now, I do not know which way is up.

“I thought he would forget about me when he went to prison.

He got caught with a large amount of drugs and a gun on him.

He got seven years. Not once have I heard from him since I left Las Vegas.

His club reached out to me but I ignored them and moved on with my life, if you can call it that.

I lived in fear of all bikers, and most men, if I am being honest with you and myself.

“Grandpa Pete, Aria, and Darian helped me through it. It was hard but I needed to put him behind me. I tried dating but I was too on guard for men to stick around. So I gave up— that was, until I had time to heal and fell for Wayne. Now that was a stupid mistake all on its own.”

“As much as I love the fact that you healed enough to move on, can we not speak of that scrawny fucking spineless prick?” This makes her giggle and it is fucking music to my ears.

“He was spineless.” She sighs. “I met a biker while on the road to my recovery. I got a flat tire and he stopped to help me. He was respectful and never made me feel uncomfortable in any way. He changed my tire, checked to see if I was okay, then went on his way, not knowing what mark that he left on me. Tote replaced my trust in humanity and made me see that not all bikers are bad.”

“Tote?” I tilt my head.

“Yeah. He wore a President patch on his cut.”

“Did you see what club he was with?” She nods to me, smiling.

“Three Kings MC.”

“Never heard of them. I will look into the club.”

The air changes and she looks to me with worry shining in her eyes.

“How did he find me, Kohen?”

“He didn’t say, baby.” I sit with her, pulling her into my lap, placing her legs on either side of my thighs so she is straddling me.

“But I will find out. The crew he is linked too is also linked to Logan the new prospect, so we now have a valid reason to take this fucker down. Add in what the cunt put you through, and well, let’s just say that we will make sure that the Deadly Dwellers MC is no more. ”

She cups my face, inching closer. “I do not want you or anyone in the club to get hurt, honey.” Sliding my hands up her back, burying them in her thick hair, I pull her so close our lips brush when I speak.

“The only ones getting hurt, baby, are those fuckers for hurting my woman. And for stepping into our territory.”

“Your woman?” I grin, licking her lips, making her suck in a breath.

She wiggles her hips and I bite back a groan.

“Baby, you need to stop doing that or my cock will be buried in you so fucking fast it will make your head spin.”

“Then make it spin.”