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It was a bit early to pick up the kids from school, so I stopped by the house to change out of my work clothes and into something more comfortable. I was toasty warm as I parked and then headed inside, giddy with the knowledge that I had the rest of the day off from both jobs. In fact, I had the whole weekend. No dental office patients and no running ragged waitressing for the dinner rush.
Holiday music filled my thoughts as I hummed the lyrics to one of my favorites.Santa Baby.Or Santa Biker. Yum. Diablo sure filled that little fantasy.
Shrugging out of my coat, I draped it over a nearby chair along with my gloves and knit hat. The house felt cool inside as I shivered, wondering if the heat had gone out again. I’d had a lot of trouble recently with it.
My boot crunched something underneath as I began flipping on the lights. A gasp left my mouth as I stood in my living room, stunned by the destruction spread out in all directions.
The Christmas tree was on its side, toppled over cascading pine needles and shattered ornaments. Mangled garland was twisted in sparkling mounds and strewn across the living room floor. Presents were demolished. Brightly wrapped packages were shredded into pieces, along with ripped portions of cardboard. The few gifts I’d placed under the tree for the kids were utterly destroyed.
Every holiday decoration I’d scraped the money together to purchase lay in shambles. The stuffed Grinch that Olivia loved was ripped and torn apart, sliced open with the stuffing yanked out. Snowflakes and angels, handmade by the kids, were crumpled and discarded on the floor. Several were unsalvageable. Everything that represented Christmas for my children was mangled and broken.
Bits and pieces of their stockings that once hung with holiday cheer were now in strips on my hardwood floors. Tears pricked the back of my eyelids as I shook my head, unable to fathom this level of indescribable shock and sadness.
Who would do such a thing?
Sinking to my knees, I let out a wail of sorrow. How was I ever going to replace all that we’d lost? My paychecks would never cover all we’d lost in time for Christmas morning. Just thinking of the disappointment on my kids’ faces was enough to wipe out every single ounce of holiday cheer I had left.
“You think I wouldn’t find you?”
The cold, gruff voice slashed through my thoughts with a bitter strike. I turned my head, making eye contact with Jack as I stood slowly to my feet. My ex was dangerous, and I should have been far more cautious, considering the truck that almost ran me off the road on Hwy 95 a couple of weeks ago. I knew now that it was a warning. Jack returned, and he wasn’t going to make this easy. No merry holiday for me.
“What do you want?” I didn’t bother to ask why he destroyed the Christmas his children were supposed to enjoy. That was far too simple.
Jack was methodical and calculating. He did nothing without reason, and I knew anguish was only part of his plan. I didn’t need his words to confirm he wanted my suffering.
“Saw that biker. You were awfully cozy in his truck the other night.”
Shit. “We’re friends. Nothing else.” Not that it was any of his business. We weren’t married. Never had been. When we were together, I made one good choice—declining Jack’s proposal when he found out I was three months pregnant with Rev.
“Thought I made it clear a long time ago, Gina.”
Backing away, I took a few steps toward the door. He watched me with hawk-like awareness, curling his fists in a familiar show of dominance. “I don’t want trouble, Jack.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I was tempted to answer. Maybe it was Sasha or Diablo. I could use a rescue right about now. Part of me wanted to defy Jack, but if I took my eyes off him for a single second, he would pounce.
“Don’t do anything stupid, girl.”
My spine stiffened as I heard Jack’s best friend, Spyder, and a fellow MC member, enter the living room. Spyder must have come in through the back door. He’d been so silent I never heard a sound until he was already inside. Spyder was vicious and cruel. He’d taken Jack under his wing many years ago, and I foolishly thought I’d managed to run far enough that they couldn’t find me.
Remembering their club’s name now with their cuts in front of me, I sighed. Hell Titans.
The Hell Titans didn’t have many chapters. They were nothing like the Royal Bastards. Where Grim and his club favored loyalty, brotherhood, respect, and family, the Titans indulged in lawlessness and brutality. Violence. Cruelty.
They trafficked humans. Bought and sold people like they didn’t matter. Beat them. Raped them. I saw enough to scar me for life.
And I’d experienced Jack’s wrath on numerous occasions before I finally left him. Years of abuse had endured until I snuck away and moved across the U.S. to Nevada shortly after Olivia was born.
I left everyone and everything I knew to protect my children from a monster. Years had elapsed. I thought I’d outrun Jack for good.
It was reckless to let my guard down. Who knew how long he’d been waiting and watching, keeping tabs on every aspect of my life?
A jolt of terror wracked my body with a shiver.
Where were the kids? Did he have Rev and Olivia?
“I think she understands how this is gonna go down,” Spyder announced, casually leaning against the wall that faced my front door. “Saves us a lot of bullshit.”
Jack snickered. “Always was a little too smart for her own good. Changed their last names, but she couldn’t hide forever.”
