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As she approached her apartment building, she couldn’t shake the nagging worry about Rob. Rob only texted her for two reasons: One, if he needed money to fund his drug habit; and two, if he ran into trouble. Rob might be one year older than Riley, but he always acted like the younger sibling. For crying out loud, Riley was now 23 and he was 24. Rob was by all accounts an adult capable of getting a job and making his own decisions. It was Riley’s fault for enabling him, for allowing him to cling to her like a parasite.
Her pulse raced when she saw that the door to her apartment unit was unlocked. She sucked in a breath, wondering if she should call the cops. Then again, Riley never had a good experience with local law enforcement. The last time Rob was arrested, the coppers at the station only gave her and Rob a hard time. Rob was the addict and he had a criminal record, but the cops looked at her the same way. Like she was scum. No, Riley decided. She’d see what kind of mess her brother had gotten into, and decide after. Taking a deep breath, Riley pushed her way inside the apartment.
“Close the door behind you,” said a voice.
Her heart sank when she saw Rob slouched on the couch, his eyes vacant and glassy. Standing next to Rob was a large man in a leather jacket. She swallowed, seeing the snake emblem on his cut. A member of the Black Vipers MC. Rob got his heroin supply from an MC member and everyone knew the Black Vipers owned this town.
“So, you’re Rob’s little sister, Riley. I’m Snake, Rob’s dealer,” Snake said. He regarded her with an unsettling intensity. Unlike Breaker’s welcomed attention at the bar, this man’s stare sent shivers down her spine.
“What are you doing here? What do want?” Riley asked, her voice quivering with a mixture of fear and anger.
“You’re Rob’s sister, so you’re connected to his mess now,” Snake said simply.
Riley’s heart pounded as she swallowed the lump in her throat. “What mess? What do you want from me?”
“Your brother owes us a significant debt, and it’s time to collect,” Snake replied with a cruel edge in his voice. “You’re going to work for us until the debt is paid off.”
Her mind raced, and she tried to think of a way out of this nightmare.
“I don’t have anything to do with his debts or your club. Let me talk to Rob, and we’ll figure something out.”
Snake’s laughter was cold and unforgiving. “This ain’t a negotiation, sweetheart. You either work for us, or we’ll make your brother’s life even more miserable than it already is.”
Tears welled up in Riley’s eyes, her frustration and helplessness boiling over. She clenched her fists, trying to find the strength to stand up to this dangerous biker.
“I won’t let you ruin my life or my brother’s,” she said defiantly, though her voice wavered with emotion.
Snake’s eyes narrowed, and he stepped closer. Riley took a hesitant step backward. She knew Snake could hurt her for real. The Black Vipers MC had sent plenty of good people who stood in their way to the hospital or the grave.
“You don’t have a choice. The clock is ticking, and we’ll be in touch to tell you where and when to start,” Snake said.
With that, he turned and left, leaving Riley and her brother alone in the suffocating silence.
The weight of her brother’s actions crashed down on her. Riley didn’t even have the energy to be mad at him. Typical Rob, always landing her into this kind of predicament.
Riley sank onto a worn-out chair, burying her face in her hands. She knew the Black Vipers were ruthless and that there would be no escape from them. If she refused, they would destroy her and her brother’s life. But if she complied, she would be sucked into their dark world, forced to do their bidding.
What did Snake even mean, by “work” for them? Riley knew the Vipers owned a couple of strip clubs in town. Did she have to sell her body to save her brother?
Rob groaned, as if he was finally waking up from a deep sleep. He blinked at her, as if he wasn’t sure why she was there. Riley looked at the needle tracks on his arm as numbness settled on her.
“Riley, you came. Where’s Snake?” Rob asked her.
“Gone,” Riley whispered. “But his message was loud and clear.”
“Riley, they’re going to kill me if we don’t give into their demands. You’re going to save me, right?” Rob asked, sounding hopeful.
Riley left him in the living room. She needed a cold shower after that conversation. Riley was a good sister. Certainly better than Rob deserved.
Whether she liked it or not, Snake held their pitiful lives in his hands. She was going to do as he asked, but Riley was going to let Rob stew in his own guilt for one night.
Chapter Two
A loud thud made Breaker curse and grumble. Another thump made him look up from the table, where he’d fallen asleep the night before.
Breaker didn’t remember much from last night. He’d driven into another MC’s territory, found a random bar … and a gorgeous redhead to kiss. That particular memory he didn’t forget.
Riley, that was the redhead’s name. He silently congratulated himself. Breaker didn’t bother remembering the names of the women he’d fucked. Then again, Riley and he hadn’t gotten to that part. What was wrong with him? Then again, when was the last time he kissed a woman?
