Page 3 of Diary of a Biker Queen

MacGregor finally let me go, shifting me back to my seat between him and Carlos. He clapped his hands together. “We pick proxies. A man each to fight on our behalf. Winner takes all. Including the woman.” He challenged Carlos and Luca, daring either of them to disagree with him. “Luca, as the prettiest of the group, ye can pick your man first.”

Carlos opened his mouth to argue.

But Luca just folded his arms across his chest and spoke over the top of him. “Dax. I pick Dax.”

I snapped my head in his direction, then shook it. “No.” I didn’t want Dax fighting. Not for me, or for anyone else. That was why I’d come here in the first place. To make sure he wasn’t hurt and left for dead in some Scottish alleyway with nobody to even notice but the morgue.

Nobody listened to me. I looked to Lynx, but even he wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“Excellent choice.” MacGregor stroked his short beard, eyeing the cluster of men who all waited on his command. “I pick Barclay.”

The biggest man I’d ever seen in my life stepped forward from the wall of guards there to do MacGregor’s bidding. He had to be at least six seven, taller even than Lynx. His eyes were beady, his face puffy. His expression held about as much emotion as a stone, his gaze narrowed in on Dax like he was something that needed to be studied.

Dax was a good fighter. There was no doubt about that.

But I didn’t want to find out if he was good enough to beat Barclay. I didn’t want any of this. “Stop,” I begged McGregor. “This is ridiculous. If my father owes you money—”

MacGregor cut me off pityingly. “Don’t worry yourself, lass. As soon as there’s only one left breathing, we’ll all go on with our dinner.”

My mouth fell open. “One left breathing…”

He patted me on the head. “Wouldn’t be much of a fight if the losers could walk away now, would it?”

Horror swirled in the pit of my stomach. “That’s…” I was having trouble forming words because all the ones I needed to say made me feel sick to my stomach.

“Barbaric?” MacGregor supplied. “Brutal? Fucking entertaining to watch?”

“Psychotic,” I choked out.

MacGregor had clearly grown tired of me. “Carlos. Your pick. Make it good.”

Carlos contemplated each of his men.

Enzo, Carlos’s younger brother, leaned in, his snake eyes narrowing on me as he whispered something in Carlos’s ear.

They both looked at Lynx.

Carlos pointed at him. “Bodyguard. You’re up.” He turned to MacGregor with a nod of agreement. “Last man left breathing wins.”

This wasn’t happening. I couldn’t contain my scream. It ripped from my body, echoing around the room. “No!”

Because there was suddenly no winning this match. Even if Dax and Lynx worked together to take down Barclay.

One would have to kill the other.

2

LYNX

Dear Diary,

I tried not to kill anyone tonight. That didn’t last long.

Nyah’s screams echoed around the dining hall as MacGregor’s words sank in. My gaze met Dax’s, and realization settled. In an instant, we both understood what we were being commanded to do.

We were no longer men.

We were soldiers sent into a battle; no concern given for which of us came out alive.